WALES

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what reduction in carbon dioxide emissions her Department has made under the 10:10 initiative.

Cheryl Gillan: The Wales Office is provided with its corporate and estates management services by the Ministry of Justice, and so is contained within that Ministry's sustainability framework and targets.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Domestic Visits

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many visits he has made to each parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland since May 2010.

Owen Paterson: Since May 2010 I have made numerous visits right across Northern Ireland and will continue to do so.

Politics and Government

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department has spent on dealing with issues concerning the past in Northern Ireland since May 2010.

Owen Paterson: The work taken forward by my Department on issues concerning the past is part of normal departmental expenditure in accordance with its business objectives. No additional costs have been incurred.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what reduction in carbon dioxide emissions his Department has made under the 10:10 initiative.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office made a saving of 46% in its carbon dioxide emissions during the period of the 10:10 initiative.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has had any discussions with (a) the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, (b) the STUC, (c) civic society organisations in Scotland and (d) the Scottish Government on the effects of the new Organisational Design for the Equality and Human Rights Commission due to be implemented in April.

David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland, the right hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore), has regular meetings with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the STUC, civic society organisations in Scotland and the Scottish Government where they discuss a range of matters.

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

David Mundell: Following his appointment, the Secretary of State for Scotland, the right hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Michael Moore), met the Equality and Human Rights Commission's Scotland commissioner to discuss a range of matters. Scotland Office officials are in contact with officials in the Government Equalities Office on the reform of the EHRC.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what recent discussions her Department has had with the (a) Bank of England and (b) HM Treasury on the reasons for the absence of women on the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee.

Lynne Featherstone: I have had no specific discussions with the Bank of England or Treasury regarding women on the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).
	The appointment of the four external members of the MPC is the responsibility of the Chancellor. Appointments to the MPC are made on merit and diversity is always an important consideration.

Equalities and Human Rights Commission: Scotland

Ann McKechin: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what plans she has for the provision of assistance to the public in Scotland after the planned closure of the Equality and Human Rights Commission helpline service.

Lynne Featherstone: We are currently commissioning a new Equality Advisory and Support Service, which will replace the current Equality and Human Rights Commission helpline and will provide a high quality service to individuals experiencing discrimination in Scotland, as well as the rest of Great Britain. The service will have a full appreciation of the distinctive constitutional, legal, social and policy context within Scotland.

Recruitment: Quotas

John Pugh: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities whether quotas would best address any instances of institutional recruitment bias under her consideration.

Lynne Featherstone: The Government have no intention of introducing quotas. We are working actively with businesses to ensure the effective implementation of the recommendations made by Lord Davies in February 2011 and more widely promoting voluntary action by business to improve equality in the workplace.

TRANSPORT

Bridges: South East

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations she has received on river crossings in (a) London and (b) Kent.

Michael Penning: The Department, including both Ministers and officials, has received a number of recent representations about river crossings in London and Kent. The Mayor of London has asked DFT to work with his officials to take forward two new river crossings in east London.
	The Department has also received representations from members of the public, local MPs and other stakeholders, concerning issues about the operation of the existing Dartford Thurrock crossing; charges levied at the crossing; and the importance of ensuring that a new lower Thames crossing is delivered without having unacceptable impacts on the local road network and the environment.

Crossrail: Rolling Stock

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will publish the Invitation to Negotiate for the procurement of rolling stock and associated depot facilities in respect of the Crossrail Train Manufacturing Contract. [R]

Theresa Villiers: Crossrail Ltd is delivering the procurement of Crossrail rolling stock and depot on behalf of Rail for London—the future operator of Crossrail services.
	Crossrail Limited normally only issue tender documentation to selected bidders.
	However, on this occasion, I have asked them to provide a copy of the Instructions for Tenderers and the Rolling Stock Provision Agreement, which I will place in the Libraries of the House.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much revenue the local office network of the DVLA generated in each calendar year since 2005.

Michael Penning: The following table shows the Vehicle Excise Duty collected at local offices by financial years since 2005—as published in our Annual Report and Accounts.
	Although other transactions are banked at local offices the DVLA accounts do not separate this revenue and it would incur disproportionate costs to provide the information in this format.
	
		
			  VED collected by local offices (£ million) 
			 2005-06 422 
			 2006-07 402 
			 2007-08 396 
			 2008-09 381 
			 2009-10 353 
			 2010-11 345

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the closure of local Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency offices on service users including those with complex registration queries concerning older vehicles; and what steps she plans to take to mitigate any adverse effects.

Michael Penning: All services undertaken within the local office network, including the complex registration of older vehicles, have been analysed to understand the implications of centralising the work. Initial results indicate that the centralisation of services should not affect the agency's ability to meet its customer service targets. The DVLA is also examining ways in which its services could be operated either electronically or through intermediaries that could offer these kinds of services. Decisions about which solutions will be taken forward will not be made until after the consultation period.

Driving: Licensing

Chris Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will extend driving licence requirements to off-roader vehicles.

Michael Penning: There are no plans to extend driver licensing requirements to individuals driving off-road, as the current arrangements are considered appropriate.

Manufacturing Industries: Procurement

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what support her Department is providing to UK-based manufacturers to help them secure procurement contracts.

Theresa Villiers: A package of measures to further reform public procurement to support growth was announced as part of the Chancellor's autumn statement of 29 November 2011, Official Report, columns 799-810.
	These measures are aimed at helping the UK industry build their supply chain capability. In April, the Department plans to publish a pipeline of potential rolling stock requirements which, together with the National Infrastructure Plan, will provide enhanced visibility of future investments. This forward view will give the UK supply chain greater confidence to invest in their capability which will in turn leave them well placed to compete effectively for future orders.
	Bombardier have recently been successful in securing a £188 million deal to build 130 new railway carriages following a procurement competition run by Southern Railways.
	DFT asked the rail industry to look into the possibility of improving the existing fleet of diesel Cross Country Voyager trains by adding an additional carriage with a pantograph and upgrading the rest of the train.
	This work is being led by Cross Country Trains with Bombardier, the Voyager Leasing Company and Network Rail.
	On the basis of work carried out before Christmas 2011, it appears that there could be a good case for the conversion of 30-35 four car Cross Country Voyagers into E Voyagers to operate on current and future routes with a mix of diesel and electric operation, either singly or in pairs.
	The parties have been asked to move to the next stage of work including a firm priced proposal on which a final decision can be made.

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what role staff of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have in respect of the (a) marine leisure industry and (b) commercial shipping industry.

Michael Penning: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) provides a 24 hour maritime search and rescue service to support all maritime activities in the UK search and rescue region, and also to coastal leisure users. The inspection and enforcement of standards for ships in accordance with statutory obligations is primarily concerned with regulating the commercial shipping industry, although some of these regulations are equally applicable to leisure users—eg collision regulations. Although the operation of the Registry of Shipping and Seamen (RSS) is primarily concerned with commercial vessels, the MCA does operate a small ships' register for yachts and small craft used for leisure. The MCA also promotes improved safety among seafarers, the fishing community and the recreational sector.
	The MCA's business plan, which can be seen at
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/mca/business_plan_2011-2018.pdf
	or within the Libraries of the House, sets out our highest profile commitments to Government, our industry and the public to maintain our reputation for the highest maritime safety standards.
	On average, the agency deals with 20,000 SAR incidents, 10,000 ship surveys and inspections, 18,000 ship and seafarer registrations and certifications, and prevent or respond to 650 pollution incidents each year.

Network Rail: Finance

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the Office of Rail Regulation's effectiveness in reducing costs and increasing value for money at Network Rail since 2004.

Theresa Villiers: The Government note that the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) set Network Rail a target to improve its controllable operating, maintenance and renewals efficiency by 31% in the period 2004-05 to 2008-09. Network Rail achieved an improvement of 27%.
	In the period 2009-10 to 2013-14, ORR has set Network Rail a target of 21% and continues to monitor its progress.
	The Government further note the recent conclusions of the Public Accounts Committee in its report ‘Office of Rail Regulation: Regulating Network Rail's Efficiency’ (HC 1036) about the Regulator's effectiveness in securing improvements in Network Rail's efficiency and the absence of effective sanctions for under-performance in the system.
	The Government will shortly publish a Command Paper setting out our agenda for rail reform to achieve cost reduction, greater efficiency and better value for money for taxpayers and farepayers.

Office of Rail Regulation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the Coalition Agreement, what consideration she has given to merging Passenger Focus and the Office of Rail Regulation to create a single powerful passenger champion.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport considered the future of Passenger Focus as part of the public bodies review.
	We concluded that it should be retained but with substantial reforms to reduce its cost to taxpayers while maintaining its core role as the statutory independent complaints body.
	The Department currently has no plans to merge Passenger Focus with the Office of Rail Regulation.

Office of Rail Regulation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had on further reductions in the budget for Passenger Focus and the allocation of some of its resources to the Office of Rail Regulation for the purposes of creating a passenger champion role.

Theresa Villiers: There are no current plans either to further reduce the budget of Passenger Focus or transfer any of their resources to the Office of Rail Regulation.

Office of Rail Regulation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the Office of Rail Regulation's performance in regulating Network Rail; and what assessment she has made of the effect of allocating responsibility to the Office of Rail Regulation in respect to passengers on costs at Network Rail.

Theresa Villiers: The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is independent of Government and is accountable to Parliament for its performance in regulating Network Rail.
	The Government noted the conclusions of the Public Accounts Committee's 2011 inquiry, ‘Office of Rail Regulation: Regulating Network Rail's Efficiency’ (HC 1036), and understand that the ORR is acting on them.
	The Government will shortly publish a Command Paper setting out our agenda for rail reform to achieve cost reduction, greater efficiency and better value for money for taxpayers and farepayers.
	We will also in due course announce our conclusions on any allocation of additional responsibilities to the ORR, and those conclusions will take into account the potential impact on Network Rail's costs.

Office of Rail Regulation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the effect on rail industry costs of any expansion of the role of the Office of Rail Regulation;
	(2)  what progress she has made on delivering the commitment in the Coalition Agreement to turn the Rail Regulator into a more powerful passenger champion;
	(3)  if she will ensure that any further expansion of the Office of Rail Regulation's responsibilities takes into consideration the past effectiveness of the regulator in reducing costs on the railways.

Theresa Villiers: The Department for Transport and the Office of Rail Regulation are currently considering the responses to their joint consultation document, “A greater role for ORR regulating passenger franchisees in England & Wales”
	http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.10746
	for which the consultation period ended on 2 March. Our conclusions will be announced in due course and will take into account the capability of the ORR to take on any expanded role and the potential impact on rail industry costs of any transfer of responsibilities.

Railways: Electrification

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of railway track were electrified between May 1997 and May 2010.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 5 March 2012
	Approximately an additional 39 miles of route were electrified between May 1997 and May 2010.

Railways: Electrification

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of railway track the Government has committed to electrify since May 2010.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 5 March 2012
	The Government have committed to electrify over 800 single track miles since May 2010. Subject to confirmation by Network Rail of the business case, over a further 130 miles would be added with North Transpennine electrification.

Transport Select Committee: Expenditure

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what basis the figures her Department provided to the Transport Select Committee on its expenditure in each region were calculated.

Norman Baker: Figures submitted to the Transport Select Committee in December show the total expenditure in each region of schemes announced in both the autumn statement of 29 November 2011, Official Report , columns 799-810, and the 14 December announcement on Local Major Schemes.
	Where schemes are multi-regional, it can be difficult to accurately apportion expenditure. In such cases, spend has been apportioned equally between the relevant regions. For example, spend on the Trans Pennine Electrification, is apportioned between Yorkshire and Humber and the North West.
	The figures do not include the further £1 billion announced for the regional growth fund as part of the autumn statement.

Transport: Incentives

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to reduce the level of bonuses in transport organisations funded from the public purse.

Theresa Villiers: Bonuses at shareholder owned private sector companies are a matter for the companies' own remuneration committees and shareholders. I have made clear my view that large bonuses are not appropriate unless they reflect exceptional performance.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Animal Experiments

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she launched the tender process for the Development Collaborative Business Project portal for the Animals in Science Regulation Unit; when the tender process closed; how many bids were received; what criteria she used for assessing bids; and how many bids met the minimum criteria.

Damian Green: This project modernises the submission of applications to the Animals in Science Regulation Unit for customers external to the Home Office.
	Previous attempts at modernising had proved unsuccessful due to difficulties in finding a suitable and cost-effective IT application. In October 2010, a system was identified in the UK Border Agency that was already in use for communicating with parties external to the organisation, the Collaborative Business Portal (CBP).The CBP had been in use for eight years and contractual arrangements were in place with the supplier, Fincore Ltd. The strategic approach to IT acquisition within the Home Office requires that we look to re-use existing applications and infrastructure before entering into complex, lengthy and expensive procurement exercises. Therefore no procurement exercise was necessary.

Animal Experiments: Inspections

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training and qualifications will be required for inspectors operating under the Animals Scientific Procedures Act 1986 in the period 2012 to 2015.

Lynne Featherstone: Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, inspectors are required to have such medical or veterinary qualifications as the Secretary of State thinks requisite. We have no plans to change these requirements but will review them when considering the options for transposing European directive 201/63/EU on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes. The directive defines the broad range of expertise required for the evaluation of project applications which is currently carried out principally by inspectors.
	Training needs will be met through a range of initial training, mentoring and continued professional development to ensure all inspectors carry out their functions effectively.

Animal Experiments: Inspections

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has any plans to change (a) the number of inspectors employed by her Department to conduct inspections under the Animals Scientific Procedures Act 1986 and (b) the number and locations of the outstations used to accommodate these inspectors.

Lynne Featherstone: I have no plans to change the number of inspectors employed to carry out functions under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Under current proposals to restructure the Home Office Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) in which they are employed, it is proposed to close all current regional offices in a phased programme by the end of 2013 and to co-locate most ASRU functions in a single location in London to promote integrated working. However, those inspectors who are not currently based in London will continue to be based close to those they inspect. Arrangements will be made to ensure they have all necessary support and facilities to enable them to continue to carry out their duties effectively.

Animal Experiments: Inspections

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations she has undertaken with establishments using animals in scientific procedures on plans to reduce the number of regional offices used by inspectors operating under the Animals Scientific Procedures Act 1986.

Lynne Featherstone: No formal consultations have been undertaken with establishments designated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Current proposals to restructure the Home Office Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) are designed to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our implementation of the 1986 Act and we are confident these will not disadvantage designated establishments.

Animal Experiments: Inspections

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the likely effects of (a) reductions in the number of inspectors operating under the Animals Scientific Procedures Act 1986, (b) changes to the locations at which these inspectors are based and (c) reductions in the number of outstations at which these inspectors are based on animal welfare standards for animals used in scientific procedures.

Lynne Featherstone: No reduction in the number of inspectors employed to carry out functions under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 is planned as part of the current proposals to restructure the Home Office Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) in which they are employed and steps will be taken to ensure those proposals do not adversely impact their work. Those inspectors who are not currently based in London will continue to be based close to those they inspect and arrangements will be made to ensure they have all necessary support and facilities to enable them to continue to carry out their duties effectively.

Animal Experiments: Inspections

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the minimum number of inspectors required to be operating under the Animals Scientific Procedures Act 1986 to maintain existing animal welfare standards.

Lynne Featherstone: The number of inspectors required is dependent on the expected workload arising from our risk-based approach to the inspection process. We will continue to use this approach, with regular review. I am confident the Inspectorate is adequately staffed to meet current and expected future needs.

Animal Experiments: Pay

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Chief Inspector of the Animals in Science Regulation Unit is based in London for the purpose of determining salary, allowance and expenses; and whether the post holder has been considered as living in London since the date of appointment.

Lynne Featherstone: The Chief Inspector of the Animals in Science Regulation Unit is not based in London for the purposes of determining her salary, allowances and expenses. The post holder is not considered to have been living in London since her appointment.

Asylum

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the Co-ordinating Group for Asylum Seekers and Refugees has met between January 2008 and January 2012; which (a) Departments, (b) public bodies and (c) community sector organisations were represented at each meeting; what was discussed at each meeting; and what the terms of reference are for the group.

Damian Green: The national asylum stakeholder forum (NASF) was launched on 12 July 2007. The forum was designed to promote dialogue, transparency and the ability to work in partnership between the agency and its external stakeholders. The group meets bi-monthly and is comprised of a number of voluntary sector and other government department attendees. A full list of members is shown as follows:
	Annex A
	National Asylum Stakeholder Forum participants
	Statutory Sector
	Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO)
	Association of Directors of Social Services and Association of Directors of Children's Services
	Asylum Support Appeals Project
	Asylum Support Tribunal
	Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
	Department for Education
	Department of Health (DoH)
	Department for Work and Pensions
	Local Government Association
	MOJ
	Scottish Government
	UNHCR
	Welsh Assembly Government
	Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA)
	Voluntary Sector
	Amnesty International
	Asylum Aid
	Bail for Immigration Detainees
	British Red Cross
	Children's Society
	Evelyn Oldfield Unit
	Freedom from Torture
	Helen Bamber Foundation
	Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA)
	International Organization for Migration (IOM)
	Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI)
	Refugee Action
	Refugee Council
	Scottish Refugee Council
	The Coram Children's Legal Centre
	The Employability Forum
	Welsh Refugee Council
	Ex Officio
	Asylum Support Partnership (Refugee Council)
	Regional Migration Partnerships
	The group has met 28 times to discuss a range of issues. The UK Border Agency is currently taking forward five joint pieces of work with NASF partners looking at the applicant journey, asylum screening reform, the quality of asylum decisions, gender issues and integration.

Asylum: Syria

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the likely effect on the number of applications for asylum received from Syrian nationals of the situation in that country.

Damian Green: There is some evidence that the recent violence in Syria has led to an increase in applications for asylum, albeit from a very low base. The UK Border Agency, which is in contact with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on this issue, will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that it is well placed to respond effectively to the developing situation.

Biofuels: Manufactured Goods

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to tackle the (a) theft of waste cooking oil and (b) illegal manufacture of biofuel.

James Brokenshire: Local crime such as the theft of waste cooking oil is a matter for individual chief constables, and the introduction of police and crime commissioners in November will ensure that police forces are responding to the priorities of local citizens and businesses. More widely, the Home Office is committed to working with retailers to reduce crimes against business. We launched the Business Self Assessment Tool last year which provides guidance to businesses to make them more resilient and reduce their vulnerability to criminals.
	Biofuel is an important sustainable transport fuel as it both reduces waste and, by replacing fossil fuels, reduces greenhouse gas emissions from transport. The Government are therefore seeking to promote its use, including the use of used cooking oil as a source of this fuel.

Biometrics: Eyes

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the job title is of the senior civil servant in charge of the contract to procure IRIS scanners.

Damian Green: There is no contract to procure IRIS scanners, as these are being phased out. It is the UK Border Agency's intention to replace them with other types of gates that both EU and non-EU passengers will be able to use.
	Paul Waring, director of e-Borders, is the senior civil servant responsible for this area.

Charities: Shops

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information her Department holds on the value of clothes stolen from charity collections in each of the last three years.

James Brokenshire: Crime data held centrally by the Home Office are not available at the level of detail required to provide specific information relating to the value of clothes stolen from charity collections.
	The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, the umbrella Government organisation that co-ordinates and oversees the fight against fraud, is working with the voluntary sector to obtain more information and intelligence on theft of charity bags.

Crime Prevention

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of the (a) level of maintenance and (b) use of the directory of specialised competences, skills and expertise in the fight against crime established by Article 1 of EU Council Joint Action 96/747/JHA.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 5 March 2012
	The EU Council Joint Action 96/747/JHA concerns the creation and maintenance of a directory in order to facilitate law enforcement cooperation between member states in the fight against international organised crime. The Joint Action sets out to facilitate this cooperation through the requirement to provide brief, accurate details and a description of the specialised competences, skills and expertise held within member states. The financial cost of maintaining the directory (the Europol Knowledge Management Centre) has been borne by Europol. In recent years, online thematic expert platforms have emerged in parallel to facilitate expert engagement and have now superseded the directory, which closed on 16 February 2012.

Departmental ICT

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contingency plans she has put in place in the event of (a) technical failure of the Collaborative Business Portal (CBP) and (b) insolvency of the CBP provider.

Damian Green: CBP is housed within one of the Home Office shared service data centres and is subject to the standard service and support arrangements provided by the Department's primary service delivery partner, Atos, supported by Fincore Ltd. Standard service level arrangements are currently in place.
	Both suppliers are contractually obliged to maintain back-ups of the software and data held on the system and have processes and time targets for recovery in the event of losing the service.
	The contract with Fincore Ltd addresses the issue of supplier insolvency. In practice a copy of the software will be held in escrow so that the service can be maintained until an alternative supplier is found or the situation resolved.

Deportation

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints were made against (a) UK Border Agency staff and (b) G4S in respect of enforced removal operations in 2011.

Damian Green: All complaints received for Detention Services are recorded on a central database which includes complaints received from detainees, members of the public, legal representatives or those acting on behalf of detainees or former detainees.
	Every complaint received is subject to local investigation or referred for investigation by the UK Border Agency's Professional Standards Unit.
	The figures provided are for all complaints received up to 30 September 2011 in line with published statistics.
	There have been no complaints recorded against UK Border Agency staff from Detention Services in respect of enforced removal operations in 2011.
	There have been 22 complaints made against the UK Border Agency's escort providers concerning misconduct in respect of enforced removal operations in 2011.
	The data provided is based on management information only and has not been subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics publications. These figures are provisional and are subject to change.
	G4S held the contract for escorting detainees including during enforced removals until 30 April 2011. Reliance were awarded the contract from 1 May 2011. The data provided covers both contractors.

Drugs

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many new substances were identified by her Department's Forensic Early Warning System in each of the last three years; and how many substances are being monitored;
	(2)  when her Department's Forensic Early Warning System first became aware of the use of D2PM and diphenylmethylpyrrolidine in the UK;
	(3)  when her Department was first informed by the National Poisons Information Service of the dangers of D2PM, diphenylmethylpyrrolidine and other components of the drug Ivory Wave; and what correspondence she has had with the National Poisons Information Service on these substances.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office Forensic Early Warning System (FEWS) programme was set up in January 2011. 10 substances, new to the UK, were identified under the project in 2011 and two substances have been identified so far this year. D2PM and diphenylmethylpyrrolidine were first identified under the FEWS project in January 2011.
	The results from the project, including any further identification of 2-DPMP and related compounds, are provided to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (the ACMD), our independent experts, to inform their ongoing review of new psychoactive substances. The FEWS findings on D2PM and diphenylmethylpyrrolidine were passed on to the ACMD and informed their advice on pipradols available at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/agencies-public-bodies/acmd1/desoxypipradrol-report
	The ACMD keep under review the situation in the United Kingdom with respect to drug-related issues, including new psychoactive substances. The current availability of these substances is being monitored and, as appropriate, individual substances will be reviewed by the ACMD and advice provided to the Government.
	The Department has not received any representations from or corresponded directly with the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) on the dangers of D2PM and related substances. The ACMD who were conducting a review of pipradols were in contact with the NPIS. The NPIS is part of the UK's Drugs Early Warning System.

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment her Department has made of the effect of liaison magistrates or officials operating under EU Council Joint Action 96/277/JHA on improving the effectiveness of judicial co-operation between EU member states.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 27 February 2012
	The Crown Prosecution Service is responsible for the posting and management of the UK liaison magistrates to France, Italy and Spain. The experience of the Crown Prosecution Service is that the UK liaison magistrates have greatly enhanced bilateral judicial co-operation, including in complex transnational cases involving major criminality. Their involvement has often been instrumental in the successful conclusion of major investigations and prosecutions. The Home Office hosts liaison magistrates from France and Italy.
	Their role is to further the work of their own country in the field of judicial co-operation and as such the UK has not evaluated their effectiveness.

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many international joint customs surveillance operations as provided for in EU Joint Action 97/372/JHA UK authorities participated in each of the last five years; and what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of such operations.

Damian Green: holding answer 1 March 2012
	There are no recorded instances of participating in international joint customs surveillance operations under the provisions of EU Joint Action 97/372/JHA.

National Crime Agency

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to her Department's Business Plan, what estimate she has made of the cost of the operational changes to make the National Crime Agency fully operational and to incorporate the Border Police Command.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 5 March 2012
	The Home Office Business plan 2011 to 2015 committed to introducing a shadow National Crime Agency (NCA) before the NCA becomes fully operational in financial year 2013-14. Costs will be minimal in this phase as it will primarily be about ensuring better co-ordination of existing law enforcement activity. Any additional costs, including those to establish the border policing command, will be funded from existing budgets.

National Crime Agency

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what she expects the costs of the National Crime Agency to be in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 5 March 2012
	The National Crime Agency (NCA) will be operational in financial year 2013-14. Costs in advance of this will be minimal. It is too early to say what the final budget of the NCA will be, but the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) will form the bulk of its budget. SOCA's budget for planning purposes in 2013-14 is £387 million Resource and £17 million Capital, and in 2014-15 is £380 million Resource and £15 million Capital. The budget for the National Policing Improvement Agency functions transferring to the NCA via SOCA is being finalised but is in the region of £10 million per year.

National Policing Improvement Agency

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the total costs associated with the phasing out of the National Policing Improvement Agency.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 5 March 2012
	The Home Office is working closely with the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) and others to ensure that the transition of NPIA functions and services is managed within its existing, funding allocation that was set out in the 2010 spending review.

Serious Organised Crime Agency

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has provided the Serious and Organised Crime Agency with additional resources to enable it to undertake action related to copyright infringement.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 1 March 2012
	No.

Smuggling: Alcoholic Drinks

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many seizures of alcohol have been made by the UK Border Agency at ports of entry into the UK in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: The data requested are not published by Border Force.
	I refer my hon. Friend to the UK Border Agency Transparency Indicator for the annual level of tax revenue that is protected through detecting alcohol where excise duty has not been declared.
	In 2010-11 35,385,000 litres of spirits, beers and wines were detected and referred to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
	Up to Quarter 3 of 2011-12 33,318,945 litres of spirits, beer, wine, cider and alcopops were detected and referred to HMRC.
	The data available via the following web address can also be found in the Library of the House.
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/aboutus/annual-level-of-tax/

Theft

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of stone theft there were in each of the last three years in (a) Lancashire and (b) the UK.

James Brokenshire: Crime data held centrally by the Home Office is not available at the level of detail required to provide specific information relating to the theft of stone in Lancashire or the UK.

Theft: Metals

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what initiatives will be funded by the £5 million allocated to the metal theft taskforce.

James Brokenshire: The British Transport Police is the lead agency for the delivery of the national Metal Theft Task Force. The taskforce aims to achieve five strategic objectives: to reduce the theft of metal; to increase detections of metal theft offenders; to disrupt organised criminal networks involved in metal theft; to implement a structure of scrap metal dealer visits; and to improve compliance with the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 1964 and associated legislation.

UK Border Agency

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects the UK Border Agency (UKBA) to reach a decision on the status of Mr Ali Jawad Kadem, UKBA Reference number: J1087501.

Damian Green: I will reply to my hon. Friend separately providing details about this case.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to answer (a) questions (i) 86689, (ii) 86690 and (iii) 86691 on entry to the UK by rail (passport checks), tabled on 12 December 2011 for answer on 14 December 2011 and (b) questions (A) 88770 and (B) 88784 on foreign national offenders, tabled on 20 December 2011 for answer on 10 January 2012.

Damian Green: I refer the hon. Member to my answers of 2 February 2012, Official Report, column 777W and 29 February 2012, Official Report, columns 322-23W.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to reply to question 91795 on life in the UK citizenship tests, tabled on 23 January 2012 for answer on 25 January 2012.

Damian Green: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 29 February 2012, Official Report, column 318W.

DEFENCE

Air Force

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of relocating 39 Engineer Regiment from Waterbeach to Kinloss.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 27 February 2012
	The total cost of relocating 39 Engineer Regiment from Waterbeach to Kinloss, which will include the cost of any infrastructure work required at Kinloss as a result of the move, has not yet been finalised. It is anticipated that these costs will be off-set, in due course, against receipts from the sale of Waterbeach.

Air Training Corps: Expenditure

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the time taken to obtain 2/3 star approval of any spending cost over £1,000 by Air Training Corps, broken down by month of application in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what proportion of applications for approval of spending seeking 2/3 star approval by Air Training Corps was for transport costs of over £1,000 by region in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: The requirement for 2 or 3 star approval for all Air Training Corps costs over £1,000 was introduced between April 2011 and September 2011 in line with a Ministry of Defence-wide drive to control of non-operational costs. Outside this period, normal financial delegations pertained.
	Information on the number of requests for spending over £1,000 submitted for 2 or 3 star approval by the Air Training Corps and the average time taken to obtain that approval by month for the period requested is shown in the following table. For months not shown in the table there were no requests submitted for approval at 2 or 3 star level.
	
		
			  2010 2011 
			  Nov Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Total 
			 Number of requests for 2 or 3 star approval 1 1 1 3 16 12 20 1 55 
			 Average approval turnaround (calendar days) 6 7 6 21 10 11 13 7 — 
		
	
	Of the 55 requests for 2 or 3 star approval, 40 were for travel and subsistence costs. These are shown by region in the following table:
	
		
			  Corps HQ Central and East region London and South East region North region Scotland and Northern Ireland region South West region Wales and West region Total 
			 2010 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 
			 2011 7 5 6 5 11 2 3 39

Armed Forces

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the devolved administrations on the benefits to (a) military service personnel and (b) their families available under the military covenant.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence maintains a close dialogue with the devolved Administrations. A network of armed forces advocates in other Government Departments and in the devolved Administrations supports the interests of the armed forces community in their areas of responsibility. The Covenant Reference Group, which oversees the Government's work in support of the armed forces, families and veterans, includes representatives from the devolved Administrations.

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many firms made bids to his Department in respect of armed forces recruitment.

Andrew Robathan: Four companies were initially invited to tender for the Recruiting Partnering Project requirement, of which two companies submitted bids at the Final Tender stage.

Armed Forces: Agencies

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what hourly rate his Department pays to agency drivers from Pertemps; and whether such payments include VAT;
	(2)  how many third party logistics movements in and out of (a) Bicester, (b) Donnington and (c) West Moors were undertaken by (i) Palletways, (ii) Pertemps, (iii) private couriers, (iv) hauliers and (v) other contractors or outside suppliers in (A) 2006, (B) 2007, (C) 2008, (D) 2009 and (E) 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: holding answer 1 March 2012
	The Pertemps Employment Agency is paid a variable hourly rate for the provision of drivers. I am withholding information about the hourly rate as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests. Payments made to the agency include VAT.
	Information about the number of movements made by third parties engaged in the transportation of Defence equipment at Logistic Services Bicester, Logistic Services Donnington and Logistic Commodities and Services West Moors is not held.

Armed Forces: Capita

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the bid made by Capita to his Department for armed forces recruitment was the lowest it received.

Andrew Robathan: The selection of Capita as the recommended supplier for the Recruiting Partnering Project was decided on the basis of the ‘Most Economically Advantageous Tender’ in accordance with predetermined criteria. Further approvals are being sought prior to any award of contract.

Armed Forces: Capita

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost of the bid made to his Department by Capita was in respect of armed forces recruitment.

Andrew Robathan: The Recruiting Partnering Project has announced Capita as the recommended supplier. Further approvals are being sought prior to any award of contract. The total cost of the Capita bid remains commercially sensitive until contract award when it will be published in accordance with the Government's transparency and advertising obligations.

Armed Forces: Languages

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will discuss with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs the effects of the closure of the Defence Language School on the Government's (a) requirement for Arabic and Farsi speakers and (b) overall language requirements.

Nick Harvey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 January 2012, Official Report, column 188W, to the right hon. Member for Coventry North East (Mr Ainsworth) and the hon. Member for Glasgow South (Mr Harris).

Armed Forces: Manpower

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which trades within the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Royal Air Force, (c) Defence Medical Services and (d) Army are assessed as being pinch points; what the operational and retained task requirements are for each of those trades; and what the manning levels were for each of those trades on the most recent date for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: This information is published in the Ministry of Defence's Annual Report and Accounts. It can be found in the table on page 39 of the following link:
	http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/E0440EEF-1A7E-4335-B6CD-1CC394FA0AAD/0/mod_ara1011.pdf

Armed Forces: Manpower

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many (a) Gurkhas, (b) soldiers, (c) airmen, (d) naval personnel and (e) reservists were based in each (i) constituency, (ii) local authority area and (iii) region in May 2010; and how many such personnel were based at each such location at the conclusion of Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 of the Armed Forces Redundancy Programme;
	(2)  how many (a) Gurkhas, (b) soldiers, (c) airmen, (d) naval personnel and (e) reservists were based in each (i) constituency, (ii) local authority area and (iii) region in May 2010; and how many such personnel were based at each such location in (A) June 2011, (B) December 2011 and (C) January 2012.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 5 March 2012
	The requested information, where available, has been placed in the Library of the House.
	Location information in respect of reserve forces is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Although the selection of candidates for Tranche 1 has been completed this element of the redundancy programme will not finish until September 2012 when those who are non-volunteers will leave service. Similarly, Tranche 2 of the programme was launched on 17 January 2012 and the outcome will not be known until June 2012. It is therefore too early to say for either tranche at this time how many people in each of these regions will be affected.

Armed Forces: Newspaper Press

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which national newspapers have been purchased by his Department for service personnel in the last financial year; and how many copies of each newspaper were purchased.

Andrew Robathan: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Olympic Games 2012

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the venues hosting Olympic events will be protected by (a) regular forces and (b) reservist forces.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 27 February 2012
	Planning is ongoing, however it is expected that reservists will be integrated with regular forces and will contribute to venue security at a wide range of Olympic and Paralympic venues, including the Olympic Park and in Weymouth.

Armed Forces: Psychology

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department has taken to improve the long-term psychological (a) testing and (b) treatment of recruits to the armed services (i) prior to joining, (ii) whilst in service and (iii) when leaving the armed services.

Andrew Robathan: All potential recruits to the armed forces are required to pass a one-to-one medical examination, which is intended to assess their functional capacity, including their mental health, and thus fitness for service. The medical policy for entry is laid out in Joint Service Publication 346, which is regularly updated to take account of national clinical best practice. Where necessary, the examining medical officer will obtain advice from a consultant psychiatrist.
	Dr Andrew Murrison MP's 'Fighting Fit' Report, published in October 2010, made two recommendations regarding mental health assessments of serving personnel and those leaving the services. The first of these was that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) should encourage research to develop a mental health screening tool, ensuring that the work is capable of generating data that will be of benefit in a UK context. The MOD is working closely with King's College London on a two-year study, funded by the US Department of Defence, of a possible screening tool for mental health issues using UK armed forces personnel. The trial will evaluate computer-delivered psychological screening against the standard intervention of a Post Operational Stress Management brief at the 12-week post-deployment point. This important study will help understand the efficacy of screening, examine whether such a tool would benefit the UK armed forces, and provide evidence on which the US can gauge their current policy on mental health screening. The trial started in autumn 2011 using the cohort of service personnel returning from Afghanistan during the summer 2011. The study will involve 12 months' preparation time followed by 36 months' data gathering and analysis.
	The second recommendation was that a mental health systems inquiry should be built into routine service medical examinations, discharge medicals and the medical examinations conducted prior to invaliding from the service on the grounds of physical or mental incapacity. The pilot of a new Enhanced Mental Health Assessment, which incorporates a mental health questionnaire as a routine part of discharge medicals, was successfully conducted on units across the services during the summer of 2011. Following the evaluation of the pilot, the mental health assessment is now being rolled out on a regional basis.
	Serving personnel who require treatment for a mental health disorder have access to a wide range of first-class professional care. In Afghanistan, we deploy uniformed mental health nurses to provide assessment and treatment. In the UK, we provide community-based mental health care, both at local unit level and through our 15 military Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMHs) across the UK (plus centres overseas), which provide out-patient treatment. In-patient care, when necessary, is provided in specialised psychiatric units under contract with a partnership of seven NHS Trusts, led by Staffordshire and Shropshire NHS Foundation Trust (SSS FT).
	Dr Murrison's report also made a number of recommendations for improving the care provided for ex-service personnel, and the MOD is working with the Department of Health and other organisations to implement them. Key among these are the commissioning of an extra 30 whole-time equivalent NHS mental health professionals to deliver improved access to NHS mental health services to veterans, and the launch in March last year of a professional 24-hour helpline for current and ex-service personnel and their families, offering help and support on a wide range of issues, health-related and otherwise. To help provide for continuity of care, those who, on discharge, are diagnosed with a mental health condition are now able to continue to be treated at a DCMH for a period of six months following discharge.
	Additionally, we are currently trialling use by the service community of the Big White Wall, an online early intervention service for people in psychological distress. We have launched an e-learning package to help civilian GPs understand the needs of the military, their families and ex-service personnel. 10 armed forces networks have been established across England, in the existing strategic health authority areas, and the NHS and Combat Stress are working together in each of these areas to develop services for ex-service personnel with mental health problems.

Armed Forces: Psychology

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what opportunities his Department offers to serving service personnel to undertake continuing education within each branch of the armed forces; and if any such accredited courses include improving psychological resilience.

Andrew Robathan: Education and training is a continuous matter for all members of the UK armed forces, not only in enabling them to obtain the right skills and qualifications to progress successfully throughout their careers, but to provide them with the necessary training for operational deployment. A key part of this is preparing them psychologically for the particular circumstances of front-line deployment. The Joint Stress Management Training Centre at Shrivenham co-ordinates the delivery of such training, ensuring that policy and subsequent training reflect the needs of service personnel, and each of the three services has its own training delivery team.

Armed Forces: Psychology

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect of psychological testing and training in the armed forces on (a) levels of post-traumatic stress disorder and (b) health care costs.

Andrew Robathan: The major Post-Operational Screening Trial (POST) being undertaken at the King's Centre for Mental Health Research (KCMHR), which is due to report in 2015, is looking at both these issues in relation to post-deployment testing of personnel. Other published studies from KCMHR have looked at the effects of Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) and decompression on the mental health of those exposed to them.

Armed Forces: Psychology

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on psychological (a) testing and (b) training for each branch of the armed forces in each of the last 10 years.

Andrew Robathan: The majority of psychological testing and training is carried out by members of the Defence Clinical Psychology Service, located across the Ministry of Defence's 15 UK Departments of Community Mental Health. A range of other general instruction and briefing may be carried out as part of pre-deployment training, or on an informal basis by mental health staff on operational deployment. Specific costs for these activities cannot be disaggregated from overall staff and resource costs, which range across a large number of budget areas.

Armed Forces: Psychology

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what psychological testing and training is given to service personnel prior to their entering a combat zone.

Andrew Robathan: Research undertaken at the King's Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR) has produced evidence which strongly suggests that pre-deployment psychological testing is ineffective and may indeed be counter-productive. Selecting out individuals who might be at increased risk of developing mental health difficulties prior to deployment is considered to be a flawed strategy because, whether one uses clinical interviews or questionnaire-based methods, it is impossible to distinguish reliably between those who will go on to experience psychological difficulties and those who will not.
	The psychological welfare of troops (which covers well-being as well as mental health) is primarily a chain of command responsibility. Personnel benefit greatly, in terms of mental health, by being within well-led units with good support from their colleagues. However, all personnel are provided with pre-deployment stress management training, for which there is some evidence of effectiveness. We have also successfully introduced an informal peer-led programme known as TRiM (Trauma Risk Management), which is a model of peer-group mentoring and support for use in the aftermath of traumatic events.
	It aims to empower non-medical staff to spot those who might have been affected by traumatic events in order that their peers and leaders can provide them with appropriate support or, where it is required, refer them for specialist help.

Defence Equipment

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how much his Department spent on (a) warehousing, (b) staff, (c) IT and (d) transport costs for managing its defence inventory in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  which carrier companies his Department uses in respect of its defence inventory; and how much it spent with each carrier for each defence class of inventory item in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the (a) gross value and (b) impaired value of (i) capital spares, (ii) consumable spares, (iii) explosive capital items and (iv) consumable explosive items in the defence inventory;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of the defence inventory which is surplus to military requirements and is stored (a) in the UK, (b) in Germany and (c) elsewhere;
	(5)  what estimate his Department has made of the proportion of the defence inventory which is not fit for immediate military issue.

Peter Luff: holding answer 6 February 2012
	This information is not held centrally and will take time to collate. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as this task has been completed.
	Substantive answer from Peter Luff to Stephen Barclay  dated 6 March 2012 :
	I undertook to write to you on 8 January 2012 (Official Report, column 288W) in answer to your questions about the management of the Department's Defence Inventory. I am afraid it has not been possible to provide all of the information that you have asked for.
	We define the Defence Inventory as Guided Weapons, Missiles and Bombs (GWMB), Capital Spares, and Raw Materials and Consumables (RMC). Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) hold all of the Department's GWMB, Capital Spares and the majority of the RMC. As at 31 December 2011 the value of the MOD's RMC was £10.03 billion Gross Book Value (GBV), £7.51 billion Net Book Value (NBV). For clarity, all of the financial information in the following paragraphs that relate to the value of GWMB, Capital Spares and RMC is for the DE&S held Inventory only.
	In terms of sites involved in the management of the Defence Inventory we have interpreted this to mean the Base Depots and Defence Munitions sites in the United Kingdom and Germany. The role of these sites is to receive, store, maintain, issue and distribute non-explosive and explosive materiel on behalf of the UK's Armed Forces and (in the case of non-explosive materiel) other Government Departments. For ease of reference I am responding to your questions in the order that you raised them.
	You asked for the cost of warehousing, staff, IT systems and transport in relation to the management of the Defence Inventory. The cost of managing the Defence Inventory, including the estate and associated infrastructure, is met by a number of different areas across the Department and to determine which elements of these costs are attributable to the categories you have requested would be a subjective exercise.
	In financial year 2010-11 the operating costs of the Base Depots and Defence Munitions sites in the United Kingdom and Germany were part of the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency (DSDA) budget. The total operating cost of DSDA in that year was £157.83 million. In August 2010 DSDA relinquished Agency status and was fully absorbed into the DE&S organisational structure. This change did not impact on the above figure which is for the full financial year.
	Expenditure for the transportation of Defence equipment against each freight services contract (including special courier) is shown in the following table. These costs include the transportation of Defence Inventory items but the Department does not record details of the equipment carried for each journey and this element of the expenditure cannot, therefore, be identified separately.
	
		
			 Contract Financial year 2010-11 (£ million) 
			 DSV 1.96 
			 Plantspeed 1.24 
			 DB Schenker 5.16 
			 Parcelforce 1.50 
		
	
	
		
			 Palletways 1.99 
			 CitySprint 2.53 
			 Sheldon and Clayton 0.06 
			 Charles Gee 0.68 
			 Severn Vale 0.46 
			 Wincanton 1.26 
			 NYK Logistics 0.44 
			 DHL 12.39 
			 Eddie Stobart 0.32 
			 GA Newsome 0.15 
			 CTS 1.32 
			 CitySprint (London) 0.02 
			 Ridgeway Int 0.95 
			 Total 32.43 
		
	
	The value of the DE&S inventory for the nine months to 31 December 2011 is shown in the following table. The table also shows the value of GWMB (explosive capital items). This is DE&S in-year management information which will feed into the 31 March 2012 audited accounts, and is subject to change to reflect ongoing operational activity.
	
		
			 £ billion 
			  Gross Value Net Book Value (1) 
			 Guided Weapons Missiles and Bombs 5.30 2.21 
			 Explosive environment Capital Spares 2.03 0.86 
			 Explosive environment Raw Materials and Consumables 2.95 1.75 
			 Non-explosive Capital Spares 22.93 6.27 
			 Non-explosive Raw Materials and Consumables 6.44 5.13 
			 Total 39.65 16.22 
			 (1) Net Book Value (NBV) is Gross Value less Depreciation/Provision, NBV is the equivalent of Impaired Value. 
		
	
	The GBV of the Non-Explosives DE&S Inventory which has been identified for disposal and transferred to the Disposal Services Authority on the Warehouse Management systems between 1 April 2011 and 31 December 2011 is £833.54 million GBV, £0 NBV. This figure includes both surplus and obsolete items. Due to the limitations of the Inventory systems, notably their age and the number of systems in use, it is not currently possible to split out this disposal activity by geographical location. These Information Systems are subject to a replacement / rationalisation programme which is planned to commence in 2013 and complete in 2015.
	The value for GWMB identified for disposal in the period 1 April 2011 to 31 December 2011 is £344.06 million GBV, £0 NBV.
	As at 31 December 2011 the GBV of the DE&S Inventory was £39.65 billion prior to impairment, of which 22 percent (£8.79 billion prior to impairment) was classed as unserviceable and not fit for immediate military use. This figure represents the quantity of items awaiting repair which will progress through the repair system to become serviceable items in support of our in-service equipment.
	In the Strategic Defence and Security Review published in October 2010 we announced that we would withdraw half of the UK Armed Forces currently based in Germany by 2015 and the remainder by 2020. Plans for the future of the defence storage locations in Germany and the associated costs of moving or disposing of the Defence Inventory are being taken forward against that timescale; these plans are at an early stage and no decisions have yet been made.
	Income received from the sale of items by the Disposals Services Authority for the year ended 31 March 2011 can be obtained from the MOD 2010/11 audited accounts. Between 1 April 2011 and 31 December 2011 the Disposal Services Authority received sale receipts for Defence equipment with a total value of £100.27 million. At least £4.39 million is from sales of Inventory items, including Capital Spares. To identify how much of this total revenue is attributed to the sale of Inventory items, each individual sale transaction would need to be scrutinised. This exercise could only be undertaken at disproportionate cost.
	I recognise that I have not been able to provide all of the answers to your questions but I hope that, nonetheless, this level of detail is helpful to you.

Defence: Finance

Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the oral answer of 20 February 2012 to the right hon. Member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, when he expects to be able to make a further statement on rebasing and the future of the QinetiQ-operated facilities at the Sound of Raasay.

Peter Luff: holding answer 27 February 2012
	We continue to work with QinetiQ to ensure that the most effective and efficient use is made of the two Ministry of Defence ranges in the Sound of Raasay. The ranges are not part of the Army 2020 Study to which the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Philip Hammond), referred.

Defence: Training

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Government has provided support for (a) internal security training, (b) public order training, (c) sniper training and (d) any other training or assistance within Syria since 27 October 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The UK has not provided any support to Syria in respect of internal security training, public order training, sniper training or any other training assistance since 27 October 2011.

Departmental Animal Experiments

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many research experiments his Department has performed on animals since May 2010; for what purposes; and on which types of animal.

Peter Luff: holding answer 30 January 2012
	The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) at Porton Down undertakes the animal research conducted within the Ministry of Defence.
	DSTL returns the numbers of procedures involving animals to the Home Office on an annual basis in accordance with UK legislation. The return to the Home Office for 2011 was provided to them by the 31 January 2012 deadline and they are currently undertaking the necessary review and verification.
	Once the Home Office has completed this process, the total annual figures for research experiments performed on animals within Government will be available.
	DSTL Porton Down conducts less than half of 1% of the total animal experimentation carried out in the UK.
	DSTL is proud of the research undertaken by its staff and believes that the remit to provide safe and effective protective measures for the UK and its armed forces against the threat posed by chemical and biological weapons and to enhance the treatment of conventional casualties on the battlefield, could not currently be achieved without the use of animals.
	The main areas of use are as follows: regulatory testing; medical countermeasures to biological agents; medical countermeasures to chemical agents; provision of tissue; hazard assessment; treatment and decontamination of chemical agents; medical management and surgical care; detection and identification of biological weapons and the effects of radiofrequency radiation.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reduction in carbon dioxide emissions his Department has made under the 10:10 initiative.

Peter Luff: During 2010-11, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) exceeded the Prime Minister's Greening Government commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 10% in central Government during the course of the year, reducing consumption by 14%, some 9,000 tonnes CO2.
	Although this is separate from the 10:10 initiative, the MOD pledged support to the campaign by encouraging staff to take up the initiative at an individual level.

Departmental Equality

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what equality impact assessments his Department has carried out since May 2010; and for what purpose in each case.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence considers equality issues in exercising its functions, to comply with equality legislation and to ensure it understands how its activities will affect different people. It provides information about this consideration in various ways. In the specified period, this information was sometimes published in the form of an equality impact assessment, although there has never been a legal requirement to produce such a document. Information about the number of such documents published by the Ministry of Defence is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Lost Property

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Harrow West of 24 November 2011, Official Report, column 545W, on departmental lost property, what steps were taken to recover the (a) desktop computers, (b) laptop computers, (c) mobile telephones, (d) BlackBerrys, (e) CD/DVD discs, (f) removable hard disk drives, (g) backup tapes, (h) USB memory sticks and (i) other miscellaneous IT items that were reported lost in 2011.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 27 February 2012
	The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes the loss of any Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment and associated media storage very seriously and has robust procedures in place to mitigate against such occurrences. New processes, instructions and technologies are continuously being developed to reduce the chances of loss and subsequent information compromise. Whenever a loss occurs, there are well established and understood reporting chains and responses. The Joint Security Co-ordination Centre maintains a database of all reported losses and subsequent recoveries.
	Following any reported loss, it is routine procedure to conduct a thorough physical search for the missing item(s). If the search is unsuccessful, an investigation will usually be launched. The extent of .each investigation is influenced by the degree of risk posed by the loss, the availability of evidence and the resources available to conduct it. Where criminal activity is suspected, a Civil Police, MOD Police or Service Police investigation is carried out.
	In addition to investigating reported losses, the Department routinely monitors online sales sites for evidence of the suspected sale of stolen MOD ICT equipment which may not have been reported. Suspicions are followed up by the MOD Police.
	The primary aim of any investigation is to assess whether or not MOD information has been compromised in order to ensure that the appropriate counter compromise action is taken. In some circumstances, including where secure encryption is in place, where data can be wiped remotely and where ICT equipment contains no Protectively Marked information, the recovery of physical hardware may not be critical but will still be attempted whenever possible. In other circumstances investigations may establish that ICT equipment has been officially disposed of without the proper destruction records being maintained. Where this occurs recovery is clearly not possible.
	The MOD continually seeks to learn from the losses and incidents that occur, reviewing and improving its policies and processes accordingly.

Departmental Pay

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many officials in (a) his Department and (b) the non-departmental public bodies for which his Department is responsible are paid (i) £100,000 and (ii) £142,500 or more per annum.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) currently employs 78,000 civilian officials. 40 are paid over £100,000 basic salary, with 12 of the 40 earning over £142,500. One official in a MOD non-departmental public body (NDPB) earns £100,000. No official in an NDPB earns over £142,500. These figures do not include military staff.

Departmental Procurement

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent procuring products and services in 2010-11.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence spent around £25 billion, excluding VAT, on procuring products and services in financial year 2010-11.

Departmental Procurement

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the value was of his Department's purchases (a) direct from suppliers and (b) from the industrial prime vendor in each of the last five years.

Peter Luff: holding answer 5 March 2012
	Information covering the Ministry of Defence's payments to industry can be found in the UK Defence Statistics 2011, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

Departmental Procurement

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration his Department gives to the human rights and working conditions of employees of suppliers in its procurement processes.

Peter Luff: holding answer 5 March 2012
	The Ministry of Defence expects its suppliers to comply with all human rights and employment legislation in the country in which they do business. A serious breach of this legislation in the conduct of their business may lead to the supplier being excluded from the procurement process where it is proportionate and relevant to the contract. We also continue to develop standard contract conditions on certain key human rights and working conditions.

Departmental Procurement

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quality control checks his Department carries out to ensure that products supplied through an industrial prime vendor meet the required technical specifications.

Peter Luff: holding answer 5 March 2012
	The Ministry of Defence (MOD) carries out a number of discrete activities to ensure that products purchased from suppliers meet the required technical specifications. Contracts specify the required quality standards that need to be met by the supplier, the adherence of which may be subject to additional checks by experienced MOD quality professionals. When selecting suppliers, the Department requires an appropriate quality management system to be in place which conforms to an international standard, such as ISO 9001, and which has been accredited by a certification body such as the British Standards Institute.

Departmental Procurement

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to support UK manufacturing through its procurement processes; and what steps his Department has taken to ensure that its next industrial prime vendor will support UK manufacturing.

Peter Luff: holding answer 5 March 2012
	The Government will work to enable UK-based industry to be sufficiently competitive to provide best value-for-money to the UK taxpayer in meeting our defence and security needs and to export successfully. We will continue to support responsible defence and security exports; help to create the right conditions for companies in these sectors to invest in the UK, and take significant steps to ensure small and medium sized companies can continue to deliver the innovation and flexibility we need. We intend to ensure an environment in which companies of all sizes can fulfil their potential in a competitive market.
	This approach is laid out in detail in 'National Security Through Technology: Technology, Equipment and Support through UK Defence and Security' (Cmd 8278) published on 1 February 2012.
	We will also publish our 10-year equipment plan later this year to provide industry with the clarity that will help them to invest in the right areas, protecting both our security and the contribution these companies make to the UK economy.

Departmental Procurement

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many items 
	(1)  with NATO Stock Number 5100 99 3010301 have been purchased by his Department in each year since 1998; and how many of such products have failed due to quality issues in each year;
	(2)  with NATO Stock Number 5112 99 7552103 have been used in each year since 2002; and how many of such products have failed due to quality issues in each year;
	(3)  with NATO Stock Number 5112 99 6018200 have been used in each year since 2002; and how many of such products have failed due to quality issues in each year.

Peter Luff: holding answer 5 March 2012
	The following table shows the quantities purchased and used for NATO Stock Numbers (NSN)s 5110 99 3010301, 5110 99 7552103 and 5112 99 6018200 between 1998 and 2011, where the information is held.
	
		
			 NSN Description 1998 to 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 
			 5110 99 3010301 Pocket Knife (1)— 4,000 6,000 5,500 9,384 4,638 
			 5180 99 7552103 Rigger's Kit (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 519 
			 5112 99 6018200 Rigger's Knife (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 432 
		
	
	
		
			 NSN Description 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 5110 99 3010301 Pocket Knife 10,065 9,599 18,408 5,219 7,370 2,400 
			 5180 99 7552103 Rigger's Kit 1,236 1,566 761 0 0 0 
			 5112 99 6018200 Rigger's Knife 727 575 725 0 0 0 
			 (1) Not held. 
		
	
	The MOD stopped buying the Rigger's tool kit (NSN 5180 99 7552103) in 2008 as there was no longer a requirement for this item. Similarly, further purchases of the Rigger's knife (5112 99 6018200) also ceased in 2008, as the item was made obsolescent.
	There have been no reported equipment failures for any of the above items.

Depleted Uranium

Jackie Doyle-Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support his Department provides to veterans who carry a health condition as a result of exposure to depleted uranium.

Andrew Robathan: Lead responsibility for the health care of veterans lies with the NHS. The MOD provides financial support to former service personnel suffering from injuries or illness caused or made worse by their service through the War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation schemes. We also offer assistance and support from the Veterans' Welfare Service.

Eastern Europe: Military Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  from where UK fast jets were directed during airspace patrols in Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania since 2004;
	(2)  how many times his Department has refused a request from a NATO member-state for UK jets to patrol its airspace; and what reason for the refusal was given in each case;
	(3)  how many patrol missions have been flown by UK fast jets to protect Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian airspace since 2004; and what the duration was of each such mission;
	(4)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of UK air-patrolling operations to protect Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian airspace since 2004;
	(5)  how many (a) UK fast jets, by type, and (b) UK service personnel have taken part in operations to patrol the airspace of (i) Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania and (ii) Iceland since 2004; and what the duration of each operation was;
	(6)  when UK fast jets have been assigned to patrol Icelandic airspace since 2004.

Nick Harvey: From October 2004 to January 2005, four RAF Tornado F3 aircraft undertook the NATO Baltic Air Policing role for the States of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. They were based at Siauliai airbase in Lithuania supported by 105 UK military personnel. UK military aircraft have not undertaken any Icelandic Air Policing since 2004.
	During the 2004 Lithuania detachment, while remaining under UK national Command, the operational control for Quick Reaction Alert launches was the responsibility of the NATO commander at Combined Air Operations Centre (CAOC) Kalkar. Since 2004, Baltic Air Policing has become the responsibility of CAOC Uedem, but no UK aircraft have been involved.
	Other operational commitments, including to NATO-led operations, have meant that in agreement with all NATO members, we have been unable to contribute to these Air Policing roles since 2004. We are pleased that other Allied nations, a number of which undertake fewer operational commitments than the UK, have agreed to assume the burden and fill the rotations as required.
	Information on the number of sorties flown or their duration during the Lithuania detachment is no longer held.
	Baltic Air Policing was conducted from within the Tornado F3 force funded annual flying hours and therefore, was provided at no additional cost. Other detachment costs are no longer held, but these would have been reduced by the contribution of host nation support by the Lithuanian Government.

Hebrides Missile Range

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many hours each (a) week and (b) month a security guard at the Hebrides Range works; and what the equivalent hourly wage is;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of security arrangements at (a) West Camp RCB and (b) Rangehead, Hebrides Range.

Andrew Robathan: The Hebrides Range is operated by a private company, QinetiQ, on behalf of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) under a long term partnering agreement. Security guards at the range are employed by the QinetiQ Guard Service (QGS) and, typically, would work a 42 hour week (168 hour month) excluding meal breaks. The MOD does not hold information on the salaries paid to QGS employees. This is a matter for the company.
	Security arrangements at the MOD Hebrides Range, including West Camp, the Range Control Building (RCB), and Range Head, are assessed regularly by the MOD and QinetiQ as part of normal business, the most recent assessment being undertaken in 2011. Any changes to the arrangements would be implemented in line with QinetiQ's contractual and legal obligations.

Iran: Military Intervention

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to seek the approval of Parliament before allowing the use of US bases in the UK by the (a) US Administration and (b) governments of other countries to launch military strikes against targets in Iran.

Nick Harvey: The UK continues to work with other countries to achieve a diplomatic solution to Iran's nuclear ambitions. We want a negotiated solution, not a military one, but all options should be kept open.
	The potential use by US forces of bases in the UK would be a matter for joint decision by the two Governments in light of the circumstances prevailing at the time. The Government have made clear in the Cabinet Manual their intention to abide by the convention that before the commitment of UK forces to military action, Parliament should have an opportunity to debate the matter.

Kenya: Armed Forces

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to fund phase two of the development of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) in the new camp at Nanyuki to accommodate BATUK Permanent Operations.

Nick Harvey: The detailed requirement and funding for Phase 2 of the development of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) has yet to be approved. The project is currently being scoped and will be tested for affordability and against other competing priorities as part of the routine financial planning round for the Army top level budget.

Kenya: Military Aid

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the annual operating cost of the British Army training unit in Kenya is; how many members of the armed forces received training there in (a) 2009-10 and (b) 2010-11; and how many are expected to train there in 2011-12.

Nick Harvey: The running costs of the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) Collective Training Establishment for financial year (FY) 2010-11 were approximately £14 million.
	This figure does not include specific costs associated with individual training exercises, which would include the associated manpower costs and those for stock consumption, since broadly comparable costs would be incurred on these items wherever the training was undertaken.
	Details of the number of troops trained at BATUK in the last two year FYs, together with those anticipated to train during (FY) 2011-12 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Financial year 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 (1) 
			 Total trained 9,540 8,600 8,600 
			 (1) Anticipated

Large Goods Vehicles

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how much a Pertemps Employment Agency driver received from his Department per mile driven in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  for what reasons private hauliers are able to quote for contracts using the price of bulk-bought fuel whereas bids by his Department have to use kerbside prices;
	(3)  what reports he has received on whether a management buy-out is being prepared to take over MOD Logistics.

Peter Luff: holding answer 29 February 2012
	The Pertemps Employment Agency is paid a variable hourly rate for the provision of drivers. I am withholding information about the hourly rate as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests. Information on how much drivers receive per mile driven is not held.
	Freight services companies tendering for Ministry of Defence (MOD) contracts are responsible for including the cost of fuel within the price for the requirement that they submit. The basis of this fuel cost is not determined by the MOD.
	Defence Equipment and Support's Logistic Commodities and Services group, which includes the storage and distribution function, is currently developing a transformation programme which will consider a number of options. These may include the sale or outsourcing of some of its component parts but no decisions have yet been made.

Medals: Veterans

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Gosport of 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 599, on Arctic convoy veterans, 
	(1)  who will be (a) leading and (b) sitting on the independent review into granting a medal to the Arctic convoy veterans;
	(2)  what the timescale is for the independent review into granting a medal to the Arctic convoy veterans;
	(3)  what the terms of reference are for the independent review into granting a medal to the Arctic convoy veterans;
	(4)  which individuals will be asked to contribute to the independent review into granting a medal to the Arctic convoy veterans.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 27 February 2012
	There is no separate review into granting a medal to the Arctic convoy veterans. As I said in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Gosport (Caroline Dinenage) on 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 599, the Government have agreed that there should be a fresh review of the rules governing the award of military medals. The terms of reference and further details of this will be released shortly.

Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability Programme

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate how much UK-made steel will be used in the construction of the four Military Afloat and sustainability tankers.

Peter Luff: Decisions on the source of the steel are a matter for the contractor and will be finalised upon contract award. Under European and UK procurement regulations, the Department could not mandate the use of particular suppliers as part of the contract.

Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability Programme

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he had sight of the letter sent to his Department by Fincantieri about the MARS project.

Peter Luff: holding answer 1 March 2012
	The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), saw the letter sent to him by Fincantieri on the evening of 21 February 2012, the same day it was sent. The letter, which suggested the possibility of building one of the four ships in the UK, represented an unsolicited and uncosted approach and was received after the decision confirming Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering as the preferred bidder for the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) Tanker project had been made. At no point during the two year bid process did Fincantieri indicate that they would build any of the MARS Tankers in the UK.
	The letter gave no indication of how the work might be taken forward, what the cost implications might be, nor of the consequences for other programmes under construction or planned for British shipbuilding yards.

Military Aid

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding has been allocated to each (a) country and (b) programme under the (i) Defence Assistance Fund and (ii) Conflict Pool.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 1 March 2012
	The Conflict Pool (CP) is funded from a Treasury settlement on conflict resources which is separate from and additional to departmental budgets. It is managed jointly by the Department for International Development (DFID), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to deliver Building Stability Overseas Strategy (BSOS) objectives. All strategic and programme decisions are taken jointly by the three Departments but one Department leads on the implementation of any given project. The Defence Assistance Fund (DAF) is funded from the MOD budget.
	Allocations for the CP are made on a programme basis. The CP consists of six programmes: five geographic and one thematic. Within each programme country priorities can change and funds shift with regards to identified opportunities and priorities on the ground.
	The current allocations supporting BSOS are summarised in the following table. From financial year 2012-13, this will include a £20 million Early Action Facility, which will support rapid action to prevent instability based on either early warning or realities on the ground.
	
		
			 Programme FY 2011-12 (£ million) 
			 Afghanistan 68.5 
			 South Asia (other than Afghanistan) 15.5 
			 Middle East 11.4 
			 Africa 33.1 
			 Wider Europe 27.5 
			 Strengthening Alliances and Partnerships 5 
			 Stabilisation Unit 12 
			 Reserve 7 
			 Total 180 
		
	
	DAF allocations are split between programmes in the north (north America and wider Europe), south (the rest of the world) and for counter-terrorism (CT) work. Funds are dispersed in accordance with Defence engagement priorities.
	For financial year 2011-12 the allocations are:
	DAF north: £3 million
	DAF south: £6.7 million
	DAF CT: £2.3 million.

Military Aid

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which countries are supported through the (a) Defence Assistance Fund and (b) Conflict Pool.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 1 March 2012
	The Conflict Pool (CP) is funded from a Treasury settlement on conflict resources which is separate from and additional to departmental budgets. It is managed jointly by the Department for International Development (DFID), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to deliver Building Stability Overseas Strategy objectives. All strategic and programme decisions are taken jointly by the three Departments but one Department leads on the implementation of any given project. The Defence Assistance Fund (DAF) is funded from the MOD budget.
	Both the DAF and the CP support not only country-specific projects, but also cross-border and regional activities and multilateral partners. The following lists identify countries that are directly engaged through CP and DAF activities such as training military officers in the UK. Any countries that are only part of regional programmes are not listed. The mix of projects and countries changes over time within the context of wider HMG engagement.
	Countries with DAF expenditure in this financial year (2011-12)
	Algeria
	Austria
	Azerbaijan
	Bahrain
	Bangladesh
	Belize
	Bosnia and Herzegovina
	Botswana
	Brazil
	Brunei
	Chile
	China
	Colombia
	Croatia
	Czech Republic
	Djibouti
	Egypt
	Estonia
	Ethiopia
	Fiji
	Georgia
	Ghana
	India
	Indonesia
	Iraq
	Jamaica
	Japan
	Kazakhstan
	Kenya
	Kosovo
	Kyrgyzstan
	Kuwait
	Libya
	Lithuania
	Macedonia
	Malawi
	Malaysia
	Mali
	Malta
	Mexico
	Mongolia
	Morocco
	Mozambique
	Namibia
	Nepal
	Nigeria
	Norway
	Oman
	Pakistan
	Peru
	Qatar
	Romania
	Russia
	Saudi Arabia
	Senegal
	Serbia
	Seychelles
	Sierra Leone
	Somalia
	South Africa
	South Korea
	Tajikistan
	Tanzania
	Tonga
	Tunisia
	Uganda
	Ukraine
	United Arab Emirates
	Uruguay
	Uzbekistan
	Vietnam
	Yemen
	The following is a list of all countries that have CP projects running within them in this financial year (2011-12). The majority of projects are managed by the FCO but DFID and the MOD also run a significant number.
	Afghanistan
	Armenia
	Azerbaijan
	Bahrain
	Belarus
	Bosnia and Herzegovina
	Burundi
	Cameroon
	Cyprus (to fund UNFICYP)
	Democratic Republic of Congo
	Georgia
	Ghana
	Guinea
	India
	Iraq
	Israel
	Ivory Coast
	Jordan
	Kenya
	Kosovo
	Lebanon
	Liberia
	Libya
	Maldives
	Moldova
	Nepal
	Nigeria
	Occupied Palestinian Territories
	Pakistan
	Russia
	Serbia
	Sierra Leone
	Somalia
	South Africa
	South Sudan
	Sri Lanka
	Sudan
	Syria
	Ukraine
	Yemen
	Zimbabwe

Military Aircraft: Procurement

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Dartford of 20 February 2012, Official Report, column 604, whether the new C-17 aircraft ordered by his Department will be funded from existing departmental budgets or additional funds from the Treasury.

Peter Luff: The new C-17 aircraft will be funded from within the existing Ministry of Defence budget.

Navy: Procurement

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether overseas bidders for the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability project are being asked to make a commitment to using (a) UK suppliers and (b) European partners as part of their bid.

Peter Luff: holding answer 23 February 2012
	On 22 February 2012, the MOD announced Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) as the preferred bidder for the MARS Tanker project. The UK work content of the main contract is estimated to be up to 20%, equating to approximately £90 million; money which DSME will be spending in the UK on contracts for the provision of key equipment, systems, design and support services. In addition, it is estimated that up to a further 20% of the contract value will be spent in Europe.
	There will be further opportunities for UK industry to be involved in the customisation package of work, to take place in the UK after the MARS tankers have been built, which will provide essential classified features required for deployment and capability assessment trials. The UK supply chain, along with trials and specialist engineering support, stands to secure up to a further £60 million worth of work.
	Under European and UK procurement regulations, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) could not mandate the use of particular suppliers as part of the contract.

USAF Lakenheath

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether (a) the Government, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) his officials were notified of the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty inspection exercise at USAF Lakenheath on 1 March 2012; whether there was a UK monitoring presence during the inspection; what buildings and sites were inspected; and what the outcome was of the inspection.

Nick Harvey: The Joint Arms Control Implementation Group, part of the UK armed forces, were notified of the inspection exercise and acted as a monitoring presence. As the inspection exercise was routine, Defence Ministers were not informed.
	The training encompassed a number of buildings within RAF Lakenheath that might be subject to inspection under the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe treaty. The exercise was assessed as highly effective by both US and UK participants.

USAF Lakenheath

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has been informed of the types of US weapons stored or deployed at USAF Lakenheath.

Nick Harvey: The United States Visiting Force inventory of weapons in the UK is declared annually to the Ministry of Defence who ensure all weapons are appropriately licensed and stored.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Welfare: Circuses

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will reassess the legal obstacles to introducing a ban on keeping wild animals in circuses in the light of recent legislative initiatives in Greece to give effect to such a ban there.

James Paice: A written ministerial statement was published on 1 March 2012, Official Report, columns 41-42WS, that sets out the Government's policy on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses in England.

Animal Welfare: Circuses

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Colchester of 20 December 2011, Official Report, column 1100W, on animal welfare: circuses, whether the records of all licensing inspections carried out in circuses will be made available to the public in full redacted form.

James Paice: The public consultation on our proposed circus animal licensing scheme was launched on 1 March 2012. As I explained in my answer to the hon. Member for Colchester (Sir Bob Russell) of 20 December 2011, Official Report, column 1100W, DEFRA will consider what information about, and from, the licensing inspections should be made available publicly to ensure that the scheme is as transparent as possible.

Animal Welfare: Pigs

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the difficulties of enforcing the sow stall and tether ban; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: The UK unilaterally banned the use of tethers and close-confinement stalls for breeding sows in 1999.
	In the EU, tethers have been banned from 2006 and sow stalls will be banned from 1 January 2013. The Commission has had discussions on compliance with the sow stall ban with member states and has sought information on the level of progress to date. I also raised the forthcoming sow stall ban at my meeting with Commissioner Dalli on 6 February.
	Over the coming months we will continue to discuss progress with the implementation of the sow stall ban with the Commission and our European colleagues.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Jo Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the farm diaries of those farms which have slaughtered cattle due to bovine tuberculosis in the latest period for which figures are available.

James Paice: DEFRA does not hold or require farm diaries.

Bread: Prices

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the price of bread over the last five years.

James Paice: The average annual price rises that are recorded in the retail prices index (RPI) for bread are shown as follows, along with the actual average prices of three types of loaf of bread.
	
		
			 Average annual price rise 
			 P ercentage 
			  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 RPI bread 8.3 15.4 2.8 0.2 5.1 
		
	
	
		
			 Pence per 800g loaf 
			  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 White loaf, sliced 90 119 123 120 120 
			 White loaf, unwrapped 92 109 110 110 120 
			 Wholemeal loaf, sliced 99 121 125 121 123 
			 Source: Consumer prices indices, Office for National Statistics

Carbon Emissions

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will introduce mandatory carbon reporting; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: A consultation was held between 11 May and 5 July 2011 on whether the Government should continue to encourage measuring and reporting of green house gas emissions on a voluntary basis, or whether regulations should be introduced to make reporting mandatory for some UK companies. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), is currently considering the Government's response to the consultation and will make an announcement before Easter.

Cattle: Disease Control

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cattle have been culled as a result of contracting diseases in (a) England, (b) the north-west and (c) Cumbria in each of the last 10 years.

James Paice: DEFRA only holds statistics for notifiable diseases.
	For bovine TB, the figures requested can be found in the statistics published on DEFRA's website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/statistics/foodfarm/landuselivestock/cattletb/
	The following table shows the number of cattle culled by DEFRA for exotic notifiable disease control purposes.
	
		
			  England North-west Cumbria 
			 2002 0 0 0 
			 2003 0 0 0 
			 2004 0 0 0 
			 2005 0 0 0 
			 2006 0 0 0 
			 2007 987 0 0 
			 2008 0 0 0 
			 2009 0 0 0 
			 2010 0 0 0 
			 2011 0 0 0 
		
	
	The 2007 figures consist of 982 for foot and mouth disease and five for the Bluetongue outbreak.

Conservation

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the creation of new environmental marine and countryside parks.

Richard Benyon: The Government are committed to creating a UK ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to protect rare, threatened and valuable habitats throughout our seas, with enough sites to conserve a range of major habitats that are vital for the health of our marine ecosystems. Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) will be created under Part 5 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 and will make an important contribution to the MPA network, which will comprise of other types of MPAs (Special Protection Areas, Special Areas of Conservation, Sites of Special Scientific Interest, RAMSAR sites, and Scottish MPAs), as well as MCZs.
	The Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs), the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Natural England established four regional projects involving people with marine interests in identifying possible MCZs: Finding Sanctuary (south-west), Net Gain (North Sea), Balanced Seas (south-east) and Irish Sea Conservation Zones. The regional projects submitted their final recommendations to the Marine Protected Areas Science Advisory Panel and the SNCBs on 8 September 2011 for review. The SNCBs will send their formal advice, including impact assessments and project recommendations, to DEFRA in July 2012. We will then formally consult on possible MCZ sites, beginning in December 2012, before designating the first round of sites in summer 2013. Appropriate management measures will be put in place.
	Under the Countryside Act 1968 local authorities were empowered to confirm sites as Country Parks. There are currently over 400 Country Parks in England that have been confirmed by local authorities. In 2009, Natural England set up an accreditation scheme to recognise sites that delivery all the core services and facilities expected of a Country Park: there are 41 accredited sites, with more applications being received. It is the role of a local authority to decide and confirm sites as Country Parks, and to apply for their accreditation.

Departmental Regulation

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress her Department has made on the Red Tape Challenge; and which regulations have been (a) abolished and (b) revised as part of the Challenge.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA is working hard to remove the burden on business of unnecessary and overcomplicated regulations through the Red Tape Challenge.
	DEFRA was involved in the hospitality, food and drink theme, which was in the Red Tape Challenge 'spotlight' from 6 May to 2 June 2011. The agreed package of proposals was announced on 29 September 2011 and included a significant rationalisation of food labelling requirements. The full package is available online at:
	www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/2011/09/hospitality-food-and-drink-regulations
	The DEFRA led environment theme has been open for comment on the Red Tape Challenge website since April 2011, and a 'spotlight' period took place in September 2011. The Government expect to announce its proposals on this theme by the end of March 2012. There are no plans to remove important environmental protections. Our aim is to make sure that our environmental policies are being implemented in the most effective ways possible and that, in order to comply with our regulations, businesses and individuals are not over-burdened by rules that make it more difficult to comply than is necessary.

Departmental Travel

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 16 January 2012, Official Report, column 31WS, on cost of Ministerial cars, whether her Department has any other arrangements for Ministerial travel; and how much her Department has spent on (a) private hire vehicles and (b) taxis for each Minister since May 2010.

Richard Benyon: The Government Car and Despatch Agency provides a car for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), to use. The junior DEFRA Ministers have given up their cars to reduce costs and currently use the central GCDA car pool, unless the Secretary of State's car is available.
	The Department has not agreed any contracts with private hire vehicle or taxi companies for ministerial travel since May 2010.
	Ad hoc taxi journeys are only used for when no other option is available, and when it is appropriate to do so. Since May 2010, the costs for taxis were:
	
		
			 Financial year Cost (£) 
			 2010-11 2947.96 
			 2011 (to date) 1807.08

Dogs

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to ensure that dog owners have access to coastal paths.

Richard Benyon: Natural England will take full account of the needs of dog owners and walkers in its consultations as part of deciding the most sensible alignment of the coastal route under the coastal access provisions in the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009.
	Normally, people will be allowed to access coastal paths with a dog provided they keep it under "effective control" at all times. “Effective control” is defined in Schedule 2 to the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. A person with a dog must also keep it on a short lead in the vicinity of livestock.
	Natural England may also restrict or exclude access for a person with a dog to a particular part of the coastal route if it is necessary to do so for land management or nature conservation reasons. Natural England will adopt an approach which recognises both the interests of those who own or use the land and the interests of people who wish to use the coastal route accompanied by a dog.

Dogs

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will take steps to promote the benefits of dog ownership.

James Paice: The Government recognise that some people derive a lot of pleasure from owning a dog; we are happy to leave it to responsible dog welfare charities and dog keeping organisations to promote the benefits of such ownership, both to the dog and the owner.

Dogs: Breeding

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with Ministers in the (a) Welsh Government and (b) Northern Ireland Executive on sharing best practice on dog breeding; and if her Department will consider bringing forward legislative proposals in England to tackle puppy farming;
	(2)  if she will bring forward legislative proposals on (a) dog breeding and (b) puppy farmers outside monitored and regulated schemes.

James Paice: DEFRA holds regular discussions with the devolved Administrations on dog breeding and we have no plans to review existing laws on dog breeding.
	There are already laws in place to specifically protect the welfare of dogs in dog breeding establishments, which are enforced by local authorities. In addition to the specific law on dog breeding, there is also the Animal Welfare Act, which places on those who own or are responsible for animals a duty to ensure their animals' welfare. This includes owners and keepers of dog breeding establishments. Failure to provide for the welfare of an animal could lead to a fine of up to £5,000 and/or six months imprisonment.
	If anyone has any concerns about the welfare of a dog in a dog breeding establishment, they should report it to the appropriate local authority which has powers to investigate.
	In response to concerns over the health and welfare of pedigree dogs, an independent Dog Advisory Council was set up in 2010, under the chairmanship of Professor Sheila Crispin. The Council works with professional veterinarian associations and key dog welfare groups to produce proposals for tackling problems associated with genetic defects in pedigree dogs. The Government will of course consider the proposals that the Dog Advisory Council make.

Farms: Storage

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial assistance is available to farmers who need to replace or upgrade silage and slurry stores as a result of EU directives.

James Paice: Under the Capital Allowances Act 2001, agricultural businesses are entitled to make use of the annual investment allowance. This enables businesses to claim full tax relief, up to £25,000 of capital expenditure, on most plant and machinery expenditure in the year it is incurred, and this includes capital works on silage and slurry stores.
	Where it operates, grants of 50% of the capital costs of a wide range of works, up to a limit of £10,000, are available under the catchment sensitive farming initiative. Eligible works include ancillary structures, such as roofs over silage and slurry stores, but not construction of the stores themselves.
	There are also grants of up to £25,000 available under the farming and forestry improvement scheme. Similar to the catchment sensitive farming initiative, these grants are not available for construction of storage itself, but can be used for ancillary works such as covers for slurry stores which, by keeping out rainwater, can reduce the cost of the store by reducing the volume of storage needed.

Food: Financial Markets

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  with reference to the Report of the G20 Study Group on Commodities, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of financial speculation on food prices;
	(2)  what research her Department commissioned on the effect of financial speculation in commodity derivative markets on food security since 2007; and what research she plans to commission on food security and commodity prices in each of the next three years.

James Paice: In 2010 DEFRA published an extensive report prepared by UK Government officials, Agricultural price spikes 2007-08: Causes and policy implications. Annex 6 of this report considered financial speculation.
	http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/security/price.htm
	DEFRA’s investment in farming and food research and development addresses food security by underpinning the development of sustainable, productive farming systems, adaptation to climate change, protecting against pests and diseases, improving animal health and welfare and assessing food chain reliance on natural resources.

Marine Conservation Zones

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of her Department's progress towards designating all the marine conservation zones sites recommended by regional stakeholder-led projects;
	(2)  what progress she has made on designating all the marine conservation zones sites recommended by regional stakeholder-led projects.

Richard Benyon: The statutory nature conservation bodies (SNCBs) (the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and Natural England), established four regional projects involving people with marine interests in identifying possible marine conservation zones (MCZs): Finding Sanctuary (south-west), Net Gain (North sea), Balanced Seas (south-east) and Irish Sea Conservation Zones. The regional projects submitted their final recommendations to the Marine Protected Areas Science Advisory Panel and the SNCBs on 8 September 2011 for review. The SNCBs will send their formal advice, including impact assessments and project recommendations, to DEFRA in July 2012. We will then formally consult on possible MCZ sites in December 2012, before designating the first round of sites in summer 2013. Appropriate management measures will then be put in place.

Nature Improvement Areas

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when her Department will provide further detail on the definitions and levels of protection accorded to (a) core areas, (b) stepping stones, (c) corridors and (d) buffer zones; and whether there will be any safeguards within the current planning process for these areas.

Richard Benyon: The natural environment White Paper provides descriptions of core areas, stepping stones, corridors and buffer zones. With sustainable use areas and restoration areas they comprise the components of ecological networks, such as nature improvement areas—the first 12 were announced on 27 February. The levels of protection afforded to these components have not changed. The Government are considering how to take forward planning guidance across a range of matters. Protection and improvement of the natural environment remains a core objective.

Pets

Jane Ellison: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what information her Department holds on the number of dogs and cats sold by pet shops.

James Paice: DEFRA does not hold any details on the number of pet shops selling cats and dogs. This information may be held by each separate local authority.

Pets: Animal Welfare

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if her Department will discuss with the Department of Health the health benefits of pet ownership; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: The Government are aware of the pleasure that many people experience from owning a pet animal. DEFRA has not discussed such issues with the Department of Health.

Pets: Tagging

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to announce her decision on the introduction of compulsory microchipping for pets.

James Paice: The Government will make an announcement shortly on a package of proposals, which will include benefits of compulsory microchipping of dogs.

Reservoirs: Safety

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to publish the revised reservoir safety guidance; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: There are two key guidance documents for reservoirs engineers. The first, ‘A guide to the Reservoirs Act 1975’, was published by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) in 2000 with the support of the then Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. It is a guide to understanding the intent of the Act and approaches to managing reservoirs in compliance with the Act. The second is ‘Floods and Reservoir Safety, 3rd Edition’, published by the ICE in 1996. This provides technical guidance for reservoir engineers particularly with respect to their safety under flood loading.
	A review of these guidance documents has been initiated and to that end the President of the ICE has been asked to lead a review of these documents and to include the Environment Agency on the review panel. The review will be carried out with the support of DEFRA, The ICE has agreed to this in principle.
	The review of ‘A guide to the Reservoirs Act 1975’ is progressing, with the most recent meeting held on 10 February. The proposal is that the reviewed guidance on the amended legislation would be published by DEFRA in parallel with the making of the various legal instruments (Phase 1 is due to begin in October 2012).
	The review of ‘Floods and Reservoir Safety’ will be taking place over a longer timescale, and be based on currently available knowledge. It will be published by the ICE to a programme and, although the programme has yet to be agreed, completion is expected within two years.

Rural Areas: Private Finance Initiative

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many applications to become a pilot Rural Growth Network her Department has received from (a) local authorities and (b) local enterprise partnerships.

Richard Benyon: We have received 29 applications to operate pilot Rural Growth Networks. In each case, the proposal was developed by a local partnership involving one or more local authority and/or one or more local enterprise partnership. In some cases, several local authorities (county and district councils) played a part in the development of a bid.
	Given the varied nature of the partnerships involved, it is not possible or meaningful to separate the total into the two categories requested.

Schmallenberg Virus

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department plans to take to limit the spread of the Schmallenberg virus; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: The reports of farms affected with Schmallenberg virus in England are an indication of the geographic spread of infection which took place during the summer and autumn of 2011. All the counties where disease has been reported are within the at-risk regions for midge incursion from continental Europe.
	We will therefore continue to monitor cases across the UK and test for suspect disease, so we can determine what the spread of disease was during that time.
	The disease is not notifiable and as such, movement restrictions are not being applied to affected premises.

Schmallenberg Virus

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps her Department is taking to provide information to farmers on (a) minimising the spread of the Schmallenberg virus and (b) purchasing livestock from affected areas;
	(2)  whether her Department has plans to introduce on-farm testing for the Schmallenberg virus.

James Paice: The reports of farms affected with Schmallenberg virus in England are an indication of the geographic spread of infection which took place during the summer and autumn of 2011. All the counties where disease has been reported are within the at-risk regions for midge incursion from continental Europe. Over winter we are in a vector free period when onward transmission of midges is not expected.
	We will therefore continue to monitor cases across the UK and test for suspect disease, so we can determine what the spread of disease was during that time.
	The disease is not notifiable and as such, movement restrictions are not being applied to affected premises.
	DEFRA is working closely with the farming industry and international scientific experts to ensure the most up-to-date information and advice is provided to livestock keepers.

Schmallenberg Virus

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what information she has received from her EU counterparts on the spread of the Schmallenberg virus; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on the Schmallenberg virus; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: A guidance document for member states giving an overview on all current Schmallenberg virus knowledge has been agreed by the Commission with affected member states, and is available online. Guidance has also been provided by the Commission on trade and funding for collaborative research. Further advice and information for vets and farmers will also be provided through the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency.
	DEFRA is working in close collaboration with the Commission and EU member states to deliver a joined-up approach to research and advice to farmers.

Schmallenberg Virus

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cases of Schmallenberg virus have been identified in Maidstone and The Weald constituency; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: Cases have been reported from 121 farms in the counties of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, South Gloucestershire, Berkshire, Wiltshire and Hertfordshire. Eight of these positive reports were in calves and 113 are in sheep. In the county of Kent, there are 15 reports from sheep farms and one from a cattle farm. All these counties are currently within what we have determined is our risk area, according to possible incursion of infected midges from continental Europe during the summer and autumn of 2011.
	The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency is releasing updated numbers of farms affected by species and county on its website twice a week. We are expecting further cases as the lambing season peaks and the calving season starts.

Schmallenberg Virus

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice her Department issued to farmers on minimising risks to human health from Schmallenberg virus.

James Paice: Risk assessments conducted by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control and the UK Human Animal Infections and Risk Surveillance Group (HAIRS) suggest that there is a very low likelihood of any risk to public health from exposure to this virus. In Europe, there is no evidence of any clinical signs in people working with infected animals.
	We have taken the same line as we do every year, and recommend that animal keepers and veterinarians handling animal material, particularly material associated with abortions and still births take sensible precautions to avoid infection.

Schmallenberg Virus: Kent

Damian Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the spread of Schmallenberg virus; how many cases have been reported in Folkestone and Hythe constituency; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: Cases have been reported from 121 farms in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, South Gloucestershire, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Hertfordshire, and Cambridgeshire. Eight of these positive reports were in calves and 113 in sheep. In the county of Kent, there are 15 positives from sheep farms and one from a cattle farm. All these counties are currently within what we have determined is our risk area, according to possible incursion of infected midges from continental Europe during the summer and autumn of 2011.
	The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency is releasing updated numbers of farms affected by species and county on its website twice a week. We are expecting further cases as the lambing season peaks and the calving season starts.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing: Leeds

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent progress has been made on the Affordable Homes programme in Leeds North West constituency.

Grant Shapps: The vast majority of contracts for the Homes and Communities Agency's Affordable Homes programme for 2011-12 to 2014-15 have now been signed including those for providers delivering in the area covered by Leeds, Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield and York. We estimate that through the Affordable Homes programme and existing commitments we will provide over 3,500 affordable homes in this area by April 2015.
	These figures may change subject to signing remaining contracts with providers.
	Information is not available at constituency level or local authority level.

Homelessness

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of beds available for homeless people aged between (a) 11 and 15 and (b) 16 and 18; and in which cities those beds are located.

Grant Shapps: This Government are committed to preventing homelessness and protecting the most vulnerable. We have maintained homelessness grant funding at 2010-11 levels, investing £400 million over the next four years, and secured investment of £6.5 billion for Supporting People services. We have announced £42.5 million for the Homelessness Change programme which will provide in excess of 1,500 new and improved bed spaces to improve hostels for rough sleepers and ensure that those coming off the streets get the support they need.
	We have established a Ministerial Working Group on Homelessness which brings together eight Departments to tackle the complex causes—not only housing, but just as importantly health, work and training. The Working Group has committed to publish a second, broader strategy focused on preventing homelessness, including among young people.
	A robust homelessness safety net remains in place for young homeless people. 16 and 17-year-olds, care leavers under the age of 21, and people over 21 who are vulnerable as a result of being in care receive ‘priority need’ for accommodation under the homelessness legislation. Children under the age of 18 who are homeless and assessed as being a child in need should be accommodated under the Children Act 1989. Supported housing units for young people continue to be funded through the £1.8 billion Affordable Homes programme.
	Information on the number of beds available for young homeless people is not held centrally.

Housing

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much New Homes Bonus has been received by each local authority since its inception.

Grant Shapps: To date, the Government have distributed £199.3 million of 2011-12 New Homes Bonus grant, from Year 1 of its operation, to local authorities. The 2012-13 payments will total a further £431.9 million, comprising the second Year 1 instalments of £199.3 million and the first Year 2 instalments of £232.6 million. The total distributed in 2011-12 and 2012-13 will be £631.2 million.
	The amounts relating to each local authority are set out in a table, which has been placed in the Library of the House.

Housing Benefit: Private Rented Housing

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department has taken to seek the views of private landlords as to whether it should make it its policy that housing benefit may be paid directly to landlords.

Steve Webb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	I refer the hon. member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Llanelli (Nia Griffith) on 5 December 2011, Official Report, column 98W:
	“At present, housing benefit under the local housing allowance (LHA) arrangements is paid to claimants in the majority of cases. For some claimants who are likely to run into financial difficulties, payment is made to the landlord. The Government do not plan to abolish this provision.”
	The Department regularly attends meetings and other events involving landlords. Lord Freud, Minister for Welfare Reform, met with a number of landlord representatives in October 2011.

Local Government: Manpower

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the number of full-time equivalent posts likely to be lost in local government in 2012-13.

Bob Neill: We do not predict centrally future levels of employment among local authorities. It is for individual councils to make decisions on how to manage their work forces in a way that ensures they make the best use of their resources and deliver value for local taxpayers.

Planning Permission

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will make it his policy to bring into force the National Planning Policy Framework only after it has been approved by the House.

Greg Clark: When the Department responds to the consultation on the draft National Planning Policy Framework, we will set out how Parliament will continue to scrutinise the operation of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Planning Permission

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he plans to take to strengthen the duty in the Localism Act 2011 on local authorities to co-operate when drawing up local plans.

Greg Clark: The duty to co-operate is now law, having taken effect when the Localism Act received Royal Assent on 15 November. It was strengthened during the Act's passage to make authorities accountable for their compliance with the duty. This means that authorities must demonstrate to an independent inspector how they have met the duty to co-operate when their local plans are submitted for examination in public. A failure to demonstrate co-operation might mean that the plan fails at examination.

Private Rented Housing: Electrical Safety

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information his Department holds on the number of private landlords who have been prosecuted as the result of negligence regarding electrical fittings in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Stunell: This information is not held centrally. However, local authorities have strong powers under the Housing Act 2004 to assess risks in residential properties, and require property owners to make improvements where needed. If a property is found to contain serious hazards, the local authority has a duty to take action in relation to the hazard, which could include enforcement action against the landlord and ultimately prosecution.

Property Development

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what meetings he and Ministers in his Department had with property developers in the (a) third quarter of 2011, (b) fourth quarter of 2011 and (c) first quarter of 2012;
	(2)  if he will publish details of meetings which he and Ministers in his Department have had with property developers.

Grant Shapps: Details of DCLG Ministers meetings with external organisations are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:
	www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/transparencyingovernment/ministerialdata/
	Details for the period from July to September 2011, and subsequent quarters, will be published in due course. Ministers within the Department for Communities and Local Government regularly meet with representatives from the development industry to discuss a range of matters.

CABINET OFFICE

Unemployment: Redditch

Karen Lumley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many children in Redditch constituency are living in workless households in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated March 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your question asking what estimate has been made of the number of children living in workless households in Redditch constituency in the latest period for which figures are available. (98411)
	Estimates of the number of children living in workless households are derived from the Annual Population Survey (APS) household datasets. However, due to the specific nature of your request it is not possible to provide reliable estimates because the sample sizes for this survey are not sufficiently large for the Redditch constituency.

TREASURY

Public Sector Borrowing Requirement

Marcus Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the public sector borrowing requirement.

Mark Hoban: The Office for Budget Responsibility's latest forecast for public sector net borrowing was published in the November “Economic and Fiscal Outlook”. This fiscal year, borrowing is forecast to be £127 billion. By 2016-17, borrowing is set to fall to £24 billion.
	The OBR will publish updated economic and fiscal forecasts alongside the Budget.

Air Passenger Duty

Paul Goggins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the economy of his planned increase in air passenger duty.

Chloe Smith: Sound public finances are essential to protect the economy from global instability and secure sustainable long-term growth. Air passenger duty makes an important contribution to the public finances.
	The 2011-12 increases signalled in Budget 2011 will take effect from 1 April, following a year-long rates freeze. These increases do no more than maintain revenues in line with inflation over the two year period since rates were last revalorised.

Job Creation: Private Sector

Stephen Metcalfe: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what fiscal steps he is taking to encourage job creation in the private sector.

Mark Hoban: The Government have put in place a wide range of measures to support job creation, including supporting business growth by aiming to create the most competitive tax system in the G20, and helping to ensure that it always pays to work, by increasing the personal allowance.
	The autumn statement announced further action to accelerate the Government's supply side reforms, including:
	Further reducing the burden of regulation that businesses have to face, including streamlining employment regulation;
	A new Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme to encourage investment into new early stage companies; and
	A Youth Contract to support up to 500,000 young people into employment and education opportunities.

Job Creation: Private Sector

Sheryll Murray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what fiscal steps he is taking to encourage job creation in the private sector.

Mark Hoban: The Government have put in place a wide range of measures to support job creation, including supporting business growth by aiming to create the most competitive tax system in the G20, and helping to ensure that it always pays to work, by increasing the personal allowance.
	The autumn statement announced further action to accelerate the Government's supply side reforms, including:
	Further reducing the burden of regulation that businesses have to face, including streamlining employment regulation;
	A new seed enterprise investment scheme to encourage investment into new early stage companies; and
	A youth contract to support up to 500,000 young people into employment and education opportunities.

Tax Thresholds

John Leech: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential effects on low and middle income earners of raising the income tax threshold to £10,000.

David Gauke: The Government have a long term goal to increase the personal allowance to £10,000, with real terms steps in that direction every year.
	The Government believe that this will support low and middle income earners and improve the rewards to work.
	The increases announced by this Government, so far will benefit 2.5 million individuals and take 1.1 million people out of income tax altogether from April. Basic rate taxpayers will gain by £210 a year in real terms in 2012-13.

Tax Thresholds

Tessa Munt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the relative merits of (a) increasing the income tax threshold to £10,000 and (b) a reduction in VAT.

David Gauke: The Government believe the income tax system should reward the efforts of those who choose to work.
	We have announced increases in the personal allowance as part of our long term objective to increase the personal allowance to £10,000, with real terms steps in that direction each year.
	The increase in VAT was part of a package of measures announced in the June Budget 2010 to tackle the deficit in a fair and decisive way.

High-tech Industries

Dominic Raab: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to develop tax incentives to promote investment in research and development in high-tech industries.

David Gauke: Research and development tax credits provide about £1 billion of support for around 9,200 UK companies every year, supporting over £10 billion of R&D activity.
	Recent changes to improve the R&D incentives for SMEs include increasing the rate to 200% from April 2011 and to 225% from April 2012. For larger companies, the Government will introduce an ‘above the line’ R&D tax credit scheme in 2013.

National Insurance

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses have participated in the national insurance contributions holiday for new companies.

David Gauke: As at the end of February this year, 13,294 successful applications have been submitted.
	A full breakdown, including details of amounts claimed and jobs supported by constituency, is now available in a factsheet in the House of Commons Library.

Employee Share Ownership Plans

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what fiscal measures he is taking to increase participation in HM Revenue and Customs-approved all-employee share plans;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with IFS ProShare on increasing the savings limits for HM Revenue and Customs approved all-employee share plans;
	(3)  what recent estimate he has made of the likely costs of increasing the savings limits for SAYE and SIP employee share plans;
	(4)  what comparative assessment he has made of the level of increase in savings limits for all employee share plans and the level of annual increase in ISA limits.

David Gauke: The all-employee tax-advantaged share schemes, Save as You Earn (SAYE) and Share Incentive Plan (SIP), currently provide around £400 million of tax and national insurance contributions relief to participants each year. The Government have asked the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS) to identify areas in which tax-advantaged employee share schemes, including SAYE and SIP, can create complexities for scheme users, and to examine how these schemes could be simplified. The OTS intends to publish its report shortly.
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), has not held any recent discussions with IFS ProShare. Officials from HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs are in regular contact with a range of representative groups, including IFS ProShare, on issues relating to the tax-advantaged share schemes.
	The average value of monthly contributions made under SAYE, and. The average value of awards made to employees under SIP, are both estimated to be well within the current limits for the schemes.
	While all taxes are kept under review as part of the normal Budget process, no detailed estimate of the total cost to the Exchequer of an increase in both SAYE and SIP limits is available. National statistics on the cost and use of SAYE and SIP can be found on the HMRC website at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/emp_share_schemes/saye.pdf
	and
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/emp_share_schemes/sip.xls
	No comparative assessment has been made between the impact of any increase in the current limits for SAYE and SIP and any increase in ISA savings limits. The contributions of each scheme to meeting the Government's objectives, and their interactions, are kept under review.

Monetary Policy: Republic of Ireland

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the financial implications for the UK of a rejection of the EU fiscal treaty in a referendum in Ireland.

Mark Hoban: holding answer 5 March 2012)
	Ireland's referendum on the Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance of the Economic and Monetary Union (the "fiscal compact") is a matter for the Irish Government and the Irish people. The Government are not going to speculate on the outcome of the vote.

Pay

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many basic rate taxpayers earned more than £10,000 in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and how many such taxpayers were (i) men and (ii) women.

David Gauke: An estimated 23.6 million basic rate taxpayers had total income above £10,000 in 2010-11, of which 57% are male and 43% are female.
	An estimated 23.6 million basic rate taxpayers have total income above £10,000 in 2011-12, of which 56% are male and 44% are female.
	Estimates are based on the 2007-08 Survey of Personal Incomes, projected using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2011 economic and fiscal outlook.

Taxation: Banks

Peter Bone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the collective losses banks, which the state has a stake in, have to offset against future taxation.

Mark Hoban: Due to HM Revenue and Customs' taxpayer confidentiality rules, it is not possible to provide an estimate of the collective losses that banks, which the state has a stake in, have to offset against future taxation.

Taxation: Second Homes

Tim Farron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment his Department has made of the extent of the practice of re-designating property ownership to avoid tax liability on the sale of second homes; and what estimate he has made of the likely effect on revenues to the Exchequer of such practices in the last 24 months.

David Gauke: No such assessment has been made as it is not possible to distinguish between the cost of private residence relief attributable to nominations of main residences for avoidance and non-avoidance purposes.
	HMRC apply a risk-based approach to investigating any cases where they suspect an individual has nominated a property as the main residence on a spurious basis.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Energy

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate his Department has made of the proportion of households supplied by (a) British Gas, (b) EDF Energy, (c) E.ON, (d) RWE npower, (e) Scottish Power and (f) Scottish and Southern Energy in (i) England, (ii) Cumbria and (iii) South Lakeland in each of the last five years.

Charles Hendry: Ofgem monitors the state of competition in energy markets, including the market share of suppliers. Ofgem's most recent estimate of the market share of the six largest energy suppliers was published as part of their retail market review. This relates to domestic customers in the whole of Great Britain
	(1)
	, but is not available by breakdown of the regions requested.
	(1) England, Wales and Scotland.
	
		
			 Domestic market shares in Great Britain 
			 Percentage 
			  Electricity Gas 
			  June 2008 August 2010 June 2008 August 2010 
			 (a) British Gas 22 25 44 43 
			 (b) EDF Energy 13 13 7 8 
			 (c) E.ON 18 17 13 13 
			 (d) RWE npower 15 13 12 11 
			 (e) Scottish Power 12 12 9 9 
			 (f) Scottish and Southern Energy 19 20 15 17 
			 Source: Ofgem's Retail Market Review Supplementary Appendices (March 2011) http://www.ofgem.gov.uk/MARKETS/RETMKTS/RMR/Documents1/RMR_Appendices.pdf

Energy Supply

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much generation capacity from non-renewable energy sources was installed in each year between 1997 and 2011.

Charles Hendry: The following table shows the amount of capacity from non-renewable energy sources by year of commission or year that generation began. Similar data for 2011 will be available in July 2012 when the Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) is published. This table shows the capacity coming on line from new sites only and so excludes increases to the capacity of existing generators.
	
		
			 Year of commission or year generation began Capacity installed from new sites (MW) 
			 1997 0 
			 1998 3,434 
			 1999 1,667 
			 2000 3,336 
			 2001 1,275 
			 2002 594 
			 2003 616 
			 2004 2,120 
			 2005 450 
			 2006 17 
			 2007 0 
			 2008 0 
			 2009 842 
			 2010 4,797 
		
	
	The table does not take into consideration any reductions in capacity of existing generators or any site closures.

Green Deal Scheme

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what plans his Department has to appoint an administrator or manager of the Green Deal brokerage scheme as set out in the Green Deal consultation; and what estimate it has made of the cost of administering that scheme;
	(2)  when his Department intends to publish further details of the Green Deal brokerage scheme; and whether such details will be made available for scrutiny before secondary legislation is put before the House.

Gregory Barker: The Government consulted on the option of a brokerage to link ECO subsidy and Green Deal finance as part of the recent consultation on Green Deal and ECO. In the meantime, the Government have continued to work with a variety of stakeholders on the potential design of such a brokerage function. The Government will publish their response to consultation in due course, and will provide further details on brokerage in the context of that response.
	The administration of brokerage, and any associated costs, are factors being considered alongside the design of the brokerage model.

Green Deal Scheme

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to publish the secondary legislation required to implement the Green Deal.

Gregory Barker: The Government published draft legislation alongside their consultation on 23 November 2011. It is available here:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/green_deal/green_deal.aspx
	Subject to Parliament, we expect to have the final legislation on the statute book by the summer recess.

Local Energy Assessment Fund

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many organisations have received funding from the Local Energy Assessment Fund; and how much has been received by each organisation.

Gregory Barker: 237 organisations received funding from the Local Energy Assessment Fund. The average amount received by each organisation was £38,585.
	I am placing details of the funding for individual projects in the Libraries of the House.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority: Consultants

Jake Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has spent on public affairs consultancy firms in the last 36 months; what the names are of any such firms; and for what reason any such expenditure was incurred.

Charles Hendry: The NDA has spent £83,193 in the last 36 months on one firm of communications consultants, Luther Pendragon Ltd.
	With the NDA's communications team based in West Cumbria the firm is used to provide strategic advice on the NDA's communications with national media.

Solar Power

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 22 February 2012, Official Report , column 832-3W, on solar power, what the names are of the 13 different industry contacts and seven others consulted as part of the preparation of his Department's document entitled Solar PV Cost Update, January 2012.

Gregory Barker: It is not possible to disclose this information, as the report was undertaken for DECC by independent consultants (Parsons Brinckerhoff) using commercially sensitive data provided by a number of different companies who did not agree to their details being released.

Warm Home Discount Scheme

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimates his Department has made of the average changes in (a) a single and (b) a duel fuel bill for customers who are moving off the social tariffs that are being phased out as part of the introduction of the warm home discount.

Gregory Barker: The impact assessment for the warm home discount scheme estimated that the average level of support provided per energy account assisted by legacy forms of support such as social tariffs was £89.
	This year energy suppliers are spending £153 million through warm home discount on providing support to low income and vulnerable households beyond the core group. As the first year of the scheme represents a transition from the previous voluntary agreement, suppliers may spend up to £140 million providing legacy forms of support such as social and discounted tariffs.
	An assessment of how suppliers have delivered the required £153 million of non-core spending will be made following Ofgem's audit after the end of 2011-12.

Wind Power: Finance

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer to the hon. Member for Redcar of 29 February 2012, Official Report, columns 284-5, on wind turbines, when the proposed reduction in the subsidy to onshore wind will take effect; and by how much the subsidy will be reduced.

Charles Hendry: The recent consultation on Government's proposed support for renewable electricity through the renewables obligation (RO) included a 10% reduction in support for onshore wind projects accredited from April 2013.
	Around 4,000 responses were received to the consultation. The Government are still analysing the views and evidence put forward. A final decision on the level of RO support for onshore wind from April 2013 will be confirmed in the Government's response to the consultation in the spring.
	Subject to parliamentary and state aids approval, the new support bands will come into effect on 1 April 2013 as planned (1 April 2014 for offshore wind).

Wind Power: Planning Permission

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many planning applications for wind turbines were (a) approved and (b) rejected in Lancashire in each of the last five years.

Charles Hendry: In Lancashire between 2007 and 2011, seven planning applications for onshore wind turbines were approved by the relevant local planning authority (42 MW); two further applications were approved on appeal having been initially refused (43 MW); and two were refused (54 MW), including one on appeal (50 MW).

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Economic and Monetary Union

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of whether any provision in the treaty establishing the European stability mechanism might provide for the treaty on stability, co-ordination and governance to be brought into the treaty on the functioning of the EU under the enhanced co-operation procedure.

David Lidington: The treaty establishing the European stability mechanism is an intergovernmental treaty between euro area member states acting outside the framework of the EU treaties.
	EU treaty change can take place only under the procedures for treaty change as set out in the EU treaties themselves. Any changes to the EU treaties would have to be agreed and ratified by all 27 member states. The EU treaties cannot be changed through enhanced co-operation.

Falkland Islands

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contingency measures are in place to deal with an incursion on to the Falkland Islands by non-military Argentine groups.

Jeremy Browne: The Falkland Islands Government and the Royal Falkland Islands Police force have detailed plans to deal with any such incidents, with support from British forces if requested.

North Korea

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Government is taking to urge the Government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to invite the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food to visit that country.

Jeremy Browne: The British Government have not raised the issue of a visit by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The UN Special Rapporteur, who is independently appointed, has tended to focus on more international structures and mechanisms such as trade and global governance to implement his mandate.
	Although the UN Special Rapporteur, Olivier De Schutter, has undertaken a number of ‘country missions’, these can only be undertaken following an invitation from the Government concerned. Such an invitation from the DPRK would be extremely unlikely as the regime are unwilling to engage in a dialogue on the failings of their governance and agricultural structures.
	However, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in North Korea has addressed the issue of chronic, malnutrition in the North Korea and the Government have long asked that he be given access to the DPRK.

Saif Al Islam Gaddafi

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the likely date of the trial of Saif Al Islam Gaddafi.

Alistair Burt: Libya's Transitional Government and the International Criminal Court (ICC) are still in discussions regarding arrangements for the prosecution of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi. On 23 January, the Libyan authorities provided, on a confidential basis, information sought by the ICC Pre-Trial Chambers on the nature of Saif al-Islam's detention and Libyan intentions regarding his trial. The ICC Pre-Trial Chamber judges are currently considering this information, and we anticipate that they may take several months to reach a decision.

Sri Lanka

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the plans by the UN Human Rights Council to investigate allegations of abuses during the civil war in Sri Lanka in 2009 in light of the Sri Lankan government's Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission's report; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The UK supports discussions of Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council and stands ready to support a resolution.
	On 12 September 2011, the UN Secretary General submitted his Panel of Experts' report on accountability in Sri Lanka to the President of the UN Human Rights Council. We welcomed the report and have urged the Sri Lankan Government to respond constructively to it.
	The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), which was appointed by the Sri Lankan Government to examine events relating to the civil war from 2002 to 2009, published its report on 16 December. We believe the report contains many constructive recommendations for action on post-conflict reconciliation and a political settlement. But we were disappointed by the findings and recommendations on accountability. We encourage the Sri Lankan Government to move quickly to implement the LLRC report's recommendations and to address questions of accountability for alleged war crimes that were left unanswered by it.

Tunisia

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Tunisia on the development of democracy in that country.

Alistair Burt: Through the Arab Partnership, we are supporting the Tunisian people's efforts to strengthen their political institutions, improve human rights, including freedom of expression, and support economic growth. UK support for the election process in Tunisia, including voter education for women and young people in rural areas, was informed by discussions with the Tunisian Government.
	We maintain a dialogue on the development of democracy at ministerial and official level. The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for North West Norfolk (Mr Bellingham), and I both met Ministers from the new coalition Government in January. We commended progress made by Tunisia, the formation of a Constitutional Assembly and discussed possible areas for further assistance. The Minister for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, my hon. Friend the Member for South Holland and The Deepings (Mr Hayes), and I also met the Tunisian Minister for Vocational Training and Employment during his visit to the UK. We discussed UK assistance in supporting economic recovery, which will have cumulative benefits for the development of democracy.

Tunisia

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens visited Tunisia in each of the last five years.

Alistair Burt: The following figures are the number of British nationals that have visited Tunisia in each of the last five years. These are based on information provided to the British embassy in Tunis, from the Tunisian Tourism Office:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2007 312,773 
			 2008 254,922 
			 2009 275,652 
			 2010 353,282 
			 2011 227,487 
		
	
	British nationals travelling overseas are not obliged to inform embassies or consulates of their presence in any country, although we actively encourage them to do so.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Data Protection

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will publish details of what data without a security classification was lost during 2011.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) lost six mobile phones containing unclassified data (mainly contact information), during 2011. No data were lost because the devices were password protected and encrypted.
	Unclassified information was also lost when the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) security was compromised in June 2011. This resulted in 94 unclassified DFID documents being compromised. The data were draft documentation relating to stress testing undertaken by the IMF, which has since been published. Some IMF Standards Assessors had parts of their drafting compromised, but not full documents. The partial information was considered to be useless to the uninformed reader.

Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to promote reforms to the way the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is run in order to encourage (a) country ownership, (b) transparency, (c) accountability and (d) efficiency; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: Earlier last year, the Global Fund commissioned a High Level Independent Panel to look at the fiduciary controls and oversight mechanisms of the fund. The report recognised the essential work of the Global Fund but found weaknesses across its systems and procedures. In response, the fund's executive board has agreed and embarked upon on a transformation process to improve risk management and strengthen its controls still further, as well as reform the fund's overall management and business model including country ownership, transparency, accountability and efficiency. The report is publicly available on the Global Fund's website.
	A “Consolidated Transformation Plan”, bringing together both existing and new reforms and processes was presented to and approved by the Global Fund board in November, along with a new strategy for the period 2012-16, and a set of other governance reforms. Taken together these reforms are intended to ensure that the fund improves its performance and better meets the needs of poor people affected by the three diseases.
	The UK continues to take a pro-active approach to the reform agenda and is represented on the board of directors. The chair of the Global Fund is also a senior Department for International Development official.

India: Overseas Aid

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has to stop providing aid to India.

Andrew Mitchell: Last year the Government agreed a radically transformed aid programme in India for the period up to 2015. We will not be in India forever, but we are walking the last mile with them. Our aim, as with all aid, is that it is no longer required.
	I have ensured that the programme is overhauled to reflect India's rising resources, and to ensure that it represents good value for money for the British taxpayer. Half of our programme is now focused in three of the poorest states. The other half of the programme is focused on pro-poor private sector investment, most of which will be returnable capital and has the characteristics of a sovereign wealth fund, from which India and British taxpayers gain.

Libya: Education

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance he is providing to the Ministry of Education in Libya to promote transfer of best practice to that country.

Alan Duncan: UK support is delivered in response to Libyan owned and led solutions, in co-ordination with the UN, in sectors where the UK adds value and expertise, and with appropriate burden sharing with international partners. Consequently, the Department for International Development is providing assistance to support Libya's security and economic priorities, and is not providing assistance to the Ministry of Education.
	The British Council is working with the Ministry of Education to support the transfer of best practice. The British Council is running workshops, training courses and offering participation at international conferences for a range of groups including teachers, inspectors, and representatives from vocational and higher education.

Libya: Regulation

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to assist the Libyan Government in developing a regulatory framework.

Alan Duncan: The World Bank and IMF lead on international economic and financial support to the Libyan Government. The UK has offered technical assistance to these three organisations to help strengthen public financial management and is encouraging the international financial institutions to engage on improving the investment climate.

Malaria

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent estimate he has made of the global prevalence of malaria.

Stephen O'Brien: The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that there were 216 million cases of malaria in 2010. A recent study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) estimated 1,133,000 deaths due to malaria in 2010 compared to World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates of just over 650,000. There are methodological challenges to both these estimates. The fact that we must rely on estimates of malaria deaths highlights the need for improved malaria diagnostic testing, surveillance and health information systems. These are all areas for action highlighted in the UK's Malaria Framework for Results.
	Both WHO and IHME figures show a significant drop in malaria deaths since 2004. This is due to accelerated efforts by the UK and the international community to tackle malaria. The UK continues to work hard to intensify efforts to have even greater impact on reducing the global burden of malaria.

Malaria

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of recent research on the prevalence of malaria.

Stephen O'Brien: The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that there were 216 million cases of malaria in 2010. A recent study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) estimated 1,133,000 deaths due to malaria in 2010 compared to World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates of just over 650,000. There are methodological challenges to both these estimates. Both WHO and IHME figures show a significant drop in malaria deaths since 2004. This is due to accelerated efforts by the UK and the international community to tackle malaria.
	The strategy and targets outlined in the UK's Malaria Framework remain as relevant as ever. The figures highlight the need for better diagnosis, improved surveillance and stronger health information systems—all of which are included in our framework. The UK continues to work hard to intensify efforts to have even greater impact on reducing the global burden of malaria.

North Korea

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the (a) availability of food in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and (b) effect of food shortages on the health for children, women and the elderly in that country.

Alan Duncan: The joint Food and Agriculture Organisation/World Food Programme Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission estimates that there is a shortage of food in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Their report notes that indicators of maternal and child malnutrition remain high; the elderly were also assessed as one of the groups in need of assistance.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Business: Loans

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps the Government has taken to encourage banks to lend to small businesses since the end of the Project Merlin scheme.

Mark Prisk: The Merlin agreement delivered a 13% increase in lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in 2011, as compared with 2010. Building on the work of the agreement, the Government have announced credit easing plans, to ensure that small businesses can access affordable finance. The National Loan Guarantee Scheme will utilise £20 billion of Government guarantees to increase the affordability of bank credit for small businesses. Details on how the scheme can be accessed by SMEs will be given shortly.

Business: Loans

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect of Project Merlin on lending to small businesses.

Mark Prisk: The Merlin agreement committed the major banks to a range of measures to support UK businesses. As part of the agreement, the banks committed to making capacity available for £76 billion of gross lending to small businesses. In 2011, the participating banks extended £74.9 billion to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), representing a 13% increase on the lending to SMEs in 2010.
	As part of the agreement the banks also committed to a range of commitments to boost businesses' access to bank finance, including supporting a network of mentors, publishing lending principles for medium-sized businesses, and organising a series of regional outreach events to support businesses. The Government welcome the progress the banks have made in delivering their commitments, as well as their intention to continue to take these initiatives forward in future. In particular, the Government welcome the BBA's intention to work with community development finance institutions (CDFIs) to put in place a system to refer unsuccessful loan applicants to CDFIs.
	While this is welcome progress, the independent SME Finance Monitor, published in November 2011, shows that there is still work to be done to boost SMEs' confidence that finance is available.

Business: Recruitment

Susan Elan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he has taken to encourage small businesses to take on extra workers.

Mark Prisk: We have introduced a number of measures to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to grow and have the capacity to take on extra workers, including a simplified tax regime, reducing red tape, enabling SMEs more easily to access public procurement opportunities, an enhanced Business Link website:
	www.businesslink.gov.uk
	providing a range of tools and advice on starting and growing a business, and measures to help businesses access the finance they need to grow.
	We have helped all employers by increasing the employer NICs threshold by £21 a week, increasing the number of employees for whom employers pay no NICs by 650,000. And to encourage businesses to take on their first employees, we introduced the regional employer national insurance contribution holiday scheme. This allows every new business in eligible areas to claim a NICs holiday for the first 10 employees in the first year of business (up to £5,000 per employee).
	In addition we have introduced specific measures to make it easier for businesses to employ people and to give them the confidence to do so. BIS is leading a cross-Government review into all aspects of employment-related law, with the aim of reducing burdens on business, while protecting fairness to employees. The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), recently announced a package of measures, including streamlining the employment tribunals system, doubling the qualifying period for unfair dismissal from one to two years, promoting early conciliation and mediation, and simplifying compromise agreements. We are making implementation of these and other measures a priority, to improve the way businesses hire, manage and end relationships with employees, to give them confidence to take on more staff and grow.
	We are taking a number of steps to makes apprenticeships more accessible to SMEs. These include introducing a £1,500 incentive to encourage up to 40,000 small firms to hire apprentices for the first time; measures to speed up the process of recruiting an apprentice and to enable micro businesses to add two broader business units to any apprenticeship, and the removal of health and safety measures that go beyond regulatory requirements. In addition, Jason Holt, CEO of the Holts Group of companies, is currently undertaking an independent review to identify what more can be done to make apprenticeships more accessible to SMEs. He will report to Ministers by 10 May.
	Starting in April, the £1 billion Youth Contract will provide at least 410,000 new work places for 18 to 24-year-olds, over a three-year period. This includes wage subsidies worth £2,275 for employers to take on 160,000 18 to 24-year-olds, and 250,000 new work experience and sector-based work academy places. And we have launched the Work Experience programme, which will offer some young unemployed people a period of work experience between two and eight weeks in length. It covers the 18 to 24 age group. Work experience will be part of a package of additional support options that Jobcentre Plus can use to help individuals into work, prior to referral to the Work programme. We have expanded this to create 100,000 places each year for the next three years.

Credit

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the level of change in the number of payday loans taken out in England and Wales between (a) 2008 and 2010 and (b) 2010 and 2012.

Norman Lamb: In 2009 the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) estimated in its review of the market that the UK payday lending was worth around £900 million and was used by around 1 million per year. In 2010 Consumer Focus estimated that the market was worth around £1.2 billion and used by around 1.2 million people. Payday lending is a key area of regulatory focus for the OFT and since their review they have seen an increase in both the size of the market and reported consumer harm. In light of the concerns about this market the OFT has launched a review of its Irresponsible Lending Guidance that will specifically target the payday lending market. The review will focus on identifying those practices that are the cause of most harm to consumers and the findings will be used to take further enforcement action and drive up standards. BIS has recently commissioned Bristol university's Personal Finance Research Centre to carry out research to assess the impact of introducing a cap on the total cost of credit that can be charged in the short to medium term high cost credit market. As part of the research, Bristol university will also look at the characteristics of users of payday loans. This research is due to report in summer 2012.

Debts: Democratic Republic of Congo

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills why the Democratic Republic of Congo is still in debt to UK Export Finance despite having completed the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries initiative in 2010.

Norman Lamb: There is an outstanding debt of £19.98 million owed to the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) by Gecamines, a state-owned copper and cobalt producer. Gecamines defaulted on the related loan repayments in 1993 and has not paid any sums since 1997. The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo decided that this debt should not be included in its Paris Club rescheduling agreements. ECGD has been pursuing recovery of the debt directly with Gecamines. Consideration is being given to abandoning recovery, which would lead to the debt being written off in full.

Electronic Commerce: Trading Standards

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will introduce a national strategy for enforcement by trading standards officers of consumer law for goods and services traded on the internet; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: Since 2009, the Government have supported a specialist internet enforcement centre located within the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). The project investigates and takes action on online scams, fraud and other e-crime that transcends local authority boundaries. The project also provides training for Trading Standards officers so they are equipped to investigate online rogue traders and co-ordinate their enforcement action.
	The project has been considered as part of the consultation on the reform of the consumer landscape. The Government will respond later this month.

Higher Education: Student Numbers

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the percentage change in number of students taking (a) computer science degrees and (b) any kind of technical study at degree level was between 2002 and 2012.

David Willetts: The latest available information on UK domicile enrolments to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) first degree and postgraduate courses is shown in the following table for the 2002/03 and 2010/11 academic years. Figures for the 2011/12 academic year will become available from January 2013.
	
		
			 UK domicile (1)  enrolments (2) ,to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) first degree and postgraduate courses, UK higher education institutions: Academic years 2002/03 and 2010/11 
			 Level of study Subject area 2002/03 2010/11 Percentage change 2002/03 to 2010/11 
			 First degree Medicine and dentistry 30,265 41,030 +35.6 
			  Subjects allied to medicine 87,485 118,310 +35.2 
			  Biological sciences 89,500 135,970 +51.9 
		
	
	
		
			  Veterinary science 2,785 3,845 +38.2 
			  Agriculture and related subjects 6,775 7,960 +17.5 
			  Physical sciences 46,175 62,085 +34.5 
			  Mathematical sciences 17,745 27,755 +56.4 
			  Computer science 73,030 56,025 -23.3 
			  Engineering and technology 63,950 73,545 +15.0 
			  Architecture, building and planning 22,870 32,780 +43.3 
			 Total STEM 440,575 559,305 +26.9 
			      
			 Postgraduate Medicine and dentistry 10,480 14,760 +40.9 
			  Subjects allied to medicine 27,695 44,950 +62.3 
			  Biological sciences 16,965 23,955 +41.2 
			  Veterinary science 385 770 +101.1 
			  Agriculture and related subjects 2,020 1,735 -14.2 
			  Physical sciences 10,620 12,490 +17.6 
			  Mathematical sciences 2,815 3,045 +8.1 
			  Computer science 12,625 8,355 -33.8 
			  Engineering and technology 15,745 18,155 +15.3 
			  Architecture, building and planning 8,720 10,665 +22.3 
			 Total STEM 108,065 138,875 +28.5 
			 (1) Domicile refers to the country of a student's permanent or home address prior to entry to their course. (2) Covers enrolments registered on full-time and part-time courses. Notes: 1. Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population and rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of five, so components may not sum to totals. 2. Percentages are based on unrounded figures and are given to one decimal place. 3. Subject information is shown as Full Person Equivalents (FPEs) in the table. FPEs are derived by splitting student instances between the different subjects that make up their course aim. Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record

Non-governmental Organisations: Finance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what funding of £100,000 or more his Department's (a) Market Frameworks, (b) Business and Skills and (c) UK Trade and Investment Directorate provided to non-governmental organisations in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: holding answer 23 February 2012
	As there is no standard definition of what is classified as a “non-governmental organisation” the information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	For information, the departmental publishes details of its monthly expenditure and this includes details of the expense area which shows the part of the Department incurring the expenditure and the supplier type.
	The information for the core Department's expenditure can be found at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/transparency/financial
	The information for UK Trade and Investment administration expenditure can be found at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/transparency/partners
	The information for UK Trade and Investment programme expenditure can be found at:
	http://www.ukti.gov.uk/uktihome/item/120920.html

Overseas Trade: Libya

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what assistance UK Trade and Investment is giving to British companies with fewer than 50 employees to export to Libya;
	(2)  what plans he has to open a British pavilion in Tripoli, Libya to promote British goods and services;
	(3)  what targets for bilateral trade have been given to UK Trade and Investment staff in Libya for (a) 2012 and (b) 2013;
	(4)  what plans he has to increase the number of UK Trade and Investment staff in Libya;
	(5)  what plans he has to appoint a full-time trade ambassador to Libya;
	(6)  whether the head of UK Trade and Investment in Libya has any plans to meet hon. Members.

Mark Prisk: British businesses interested in exporting to Libya, regardless of size, have access to the full range of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) services. This includes: market advice, analysis of market entry strategies, identification of possible business partners, arranging meetings with key contacts in the country, and support during overseas visits or bespoke events such as product launches. Through UK Export Finance (formerly ECGD) companies also have access to £375 million worth of cover to support contracts in Libya.
	There are no plans to open a British pavilion in Tripoli to promote British goods and services. Our resource in Libya is focused on delivering tailored support to individual companies as well as showcasing the UK's capabilities on sector specific high-value opportunity (HVO) projects.
	Currently there are no stated bilateral trade targets for UKTI staff in Libya. Their performance is assessed both by volume of businesses helped as well as quality of support provided.
	This time last year there were no UKTI members of staff in Libya. The team is now eight-strong with recruitment underway for two additional locally-engaged members of staff.
	There are no plans to appoint a full-time trade ambassador. Through the Council of Business Ambassadors which was established by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in 2011, we deploy a number of trade ambassadors to help promote British business interests in Libya. Most recently, my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, chair of the Council, led an oil and gas trade mission to Libya.
	There have also been a number of high-level visits to Libya to help promote British business interests, including by the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) and the Minister of State for Trade and Investment, my noble Friend, Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint. Further visits are planned in the months ahead.
	The British ambassador remains fully engaged on the commercial agenda.
	The Head of UKTI in Libya has already met a number of hon. Members who have undertaken visits to Libya. He remains ready to meet others at their request.

Overseas Trade: Sudan

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the monetary value was of Anglo-Sudan trade in (a) 2005, (b) 2009 and (c) 2010.

Mark Prisk: The value of trade between the United Kingdom and Sudan was around £208 million in 2005, around £227 million in 2009 and around £246 million in 2010 (all at current prices).
	More detail on these figures is shown in the following table. The figures are published by the Office for National Statistics and HM Revenue and Customs.
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2005 2009 2010 
			 UK trade in goods with Sudan    
			 UK exports to Sudan 140 123 138 
			 UK imports from Sudan 18 18 10 
			 UK total trade with Sudan 158 141 148 
			     
			 UK trade in services with Sudan    
			 UK exports to Sudan 29 58 78 
			 UK imports from Sudan 21 28 20 
			 UK total trade with Sudan 50 86 98 
			     
			 UK trade in goods and services with Sudan    
			 UK exports to Sudan 169 181 216 
			 UK imports from Sudan 39 46 30 
			 UK total trade with Sudan 208 227 246 
			 Notes: 1. Trade in goods are measured on an Overseas Trade Statistics (OTS) basis. 2. Trade in services are measured on a Balance of Payment (BoP) basis Source: BIS analysis of data from: H M Revenue and Customs (goods) and the Office for National Statistics (services)

Overseas Trade: Sudan

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assistance UK Trade and Investment is providing to UK firms to export to Sudan.

Mark Prisk: UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) provides its full range of services to UK companies wishing to export to Sudan. These services include providing bespoke country reports, conducting market research, identifying in-country partners, agents and distributors, organising trade missions and events such as product launches, and working with and through others to support such companies.

Public Houses

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills when he plans to implement the provisions of the Resolution of the House of 12 January 2012, on pub companies.

Norman Lamb: On 24 November 2011 the Government announced a new tough and legally binding form of self-regulation for the pub industry, including a strengthened Industry Framework Code and the establishment of a Pubs Independent Conciliation and Arbitration Service (PICAS). As the code will now be legally binding, it will ultimately be enforceable through the courts. It would not be appropriate, at this stage, to commission a review.

Royal Mail

Gavin Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on what specific dates in (a) 2011 and (b) 2012 Ministers have met with either the Chief Executive or the Chairman of Royal Mail to discuss the financial and management performance of the business.

Norman Lamb: Ministers in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) have held regular meetings with the chief executive and chair of Royal Mail to discuss a broad range of issues including the financial and management performance of the business. All official meetings are published on the BIS website
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/transparency

Trading Standards

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he plans to grant civil sanction powers under Part 3 of the Regulatory, Enforcement and Sanctions Act 2008 to (a) the Office of Fair Trading and (b) selected trading standards departments; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: No decision has been taken on allocation of civil sanction powers to consumer enforcement authorities. In June 2011, we consulted on changes to the consumer enforcement landscape, altering the balance of responsibilities between the Office of Fair Trading and the Trading Standards network. These changes will also influence the development of supporting powers and sanctions.

UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what trade missions the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation plans to undertake up to 31 December 2012; and whether it will be exhibiting at each planned mission;
	(2)  which military and security exhibitions staff of the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation will be attending up to 31 December 2012.

Mark Prisk: Overseas exhibitions to 31 December 2012 which UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation plans to attend are shown in the following table. Where there are plans to have a stand and exhibit, this is indicated in the right hand column of the table.
	
		
			 2012 Country Event 
			 March Chile FIDAE (stand) 
			 March Qatar DIMDEX (stand) 
			 March India DEFEXPO (stand) 
			 April Brazil LAAD Security (stand) 
			 April Malaysia DSA (stand) 
			 April USA EUPF UN Seminar 
			 May Bulgaria HEMUS 
			 May Kazakhstan KADEX (stand) 
			 May Slovakia IDEB 
		
	
	
		
			 May USA SOFIC (stand) 
			 May Spain UDT (stand) 
			 May Turkey International Conference on Information Security and Cryptology 
			 May Turkey Aviation and Avionics Systems Seminar and Exhibition 
			 June France Eurosatory (stand) 
			 August USA IAE Expo (stand) 
			 September Poland MSPO 
			 September Romania EXPOMIL 
			 September South Africa AAD (stand) 
			 September Turkey ISAF 2012 
			 October India IFSEC (stand) 
			 October USA AUSA (stand) 
			 October Australia LWC (stand) 
			 October France Euronaval (stand) 
			 November Saudi Arabia IFSEC (stand) 
			 November Indonesia Indo Defence (stand) 
			 November Qatar Milipol (stand) 
			 December Chile Exponaval (stand) 
		
	
	UKTI DSO will also attend UK events as follows:
	
		
			 2012 Event 
			 May IFSEC International 
			 May SeaWork 
			 June DVD (stand) 
			 July FIA 
			 November ESS (stand) 
		
	
	Overseas trade missions in support of UK defence and security exports which are at present planned to 31 December 2012 by UKTI DSO are listed as follows This information can change at short notice and will be updated on the UKTI website at:
	www.ukti.gov.uk/export/eventssearch.html
	
		
			 2012 Country 
			 March Guatemala and El Salvador 
			 March Colombia 
			 March Peru 
			 March Italy 
			 March USA 
			 April Portugal 
			 April Russia 
			 May Brazil 
			 May Germany 
			 May Greece 
			 May Spain 
			 June France 
			 June India 
			 July Turkey 
			 September Italy 
			 October Belgium (NATO) 
			 October Turkey 
			 November Dubai 
			 November Italy 
			 November Saudi Arabia 
			 November Turkey 
			 December Indonesia 
			 December Luxembourg (NATO) 
			 December Netherlands 
		
	
	
		
			 Date TBC Bahamas and Barbados 
			 Date TBC Bulgaria 
			 Date TBC India 
			 Date TBC Vietnam

JUSTICE

Applied Language Solutions

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of assignments have been (a) fulfilled, (b) delivered on time, (c) not fulfilled by Applied Language Solutions but made under the old arrangements and (d) not delivered on time.

Crispin Blunt: As part of their contractual obligations under the framework the contractor is required to provide a range of information about the performance of the contract. The Ministry will consider what information it can usefully publish in due course.

Applied Language Solutions

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department is aware of any instances where (a) interpreters are being included on lists of translators used by Applied Language Solutions (ALS) without the consent of the interpreters concerned and (b) ALS is using interpreters without first checking their qualifications and conducting an assessment; and what steps his Department is taking to (i) investigate and (ii) end these breaches of (A) the Framework Agreement and (B) the contract with ALS.

Crispin Blunt: Interpreters must express an interest in providing services under the framework, and have gone through the assessment process, before being included on the list of those available for work.
	The contractor is obliged to ensure that the interpreters they use have appropriate qualifications, skills, experience and are appropriately vetted. Should any concerns or complaints arise about the quality, qualifications or background of individual interpreters there is a robust complaints mechanism.

Employment Tribunals Service

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the potential use of early neutral evaluation in employment tribunal claims.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government are committed to encouraging the public to resolve their issues out of court without recourse to public funds, using simpler, more informal remedies where they are appropriate. In this context, my Department is working to develop proposals to promote wider use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) across the courts and tribunals system.
	Insofar as employment tribunals are concerned, and given the unique position of ACAS in the employment dispute resolution system, ADR is already embedded as a central feature of the process. The pre-claim conciliation scheme run by ACAS allows parties to engage in ADR before claims are even lodged with a tribunal. The Government's consultation paper “Resolving Workplace Disputes” sets out how we intend to build on our experience in this area.
	It is generally accepted that there will be cases which reach the tribunal but have little or no prospect of success. Identifying these cases at an early stage helps tribunals to allocate resources more effectively. There are already wide-ranging powers for Employment Judges to case manage proceedings from an early stage. However, it is important that the system in place is as efficient and effective as possible and to that end we have asked Mr Justice Underhill, outgoing president of the Employment Appeal Tribunal, to lead a Fundamental Review of the Rules of Procedure for employment tribunals.
	We hope that the revised rules will help create a more streamlined, efficient system by ensuring robust case management powers can be applied flexibly, proportionately, effectively and (insofar as is practicable) consistently in individual cases coming before employment tribunals.
	In the tribunals system more widely, we have considered early neutral evaluation (ENE) techniques, alongside others. Given the findings from pilot exercises, there was no clear case for onward consideration of ENE specifically. However, we have been able to apply lessons learned to good effect and we are considering how increased use of ADR could be further encouraged across the civil, family and administrative justice system.

Employment Tribunals Service

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what work has been carried out by his Department on the non-payment of employment tribunal awards since 2009.

Jonathan Djanogly: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 19 July 2011, Official Report, column 897W.

Employment Tribunals Service

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the likely effect on access to justice for disadvantaged groups of fees for employment tribunals.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government have published an initial Impact Assessment (IA) and Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) to accompany the “Charging Fees in Employment Tribunals and Employment Appeal Tribunal” consultation to ensure that impacts on tribunal users are assessed.
	The consultation proposes two options for fees together with the adoption of the civil courts remission system of England and Wales. An initial assessment of the impact of the fee and remissions system on claimants has been provided in both the IA and EIA. In light of the initial assessments, the Government believe that the remissions system will protect access to justice for those with limited means.
	The Government have invited comments on the proposals for fees, the remissions system and the initial assessments made. With the benefit of the views of respondents, which the Government will consider carefully, a further improved IA and EIA will be published with the Government's response.

Extradition: Children

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many children who had been (a) abducted and (b) wrongfully retained by a parent living abroad were successfully extradited from a country (i) party and (ii) not party to the Hague Convention in each year since 2002.

Jonathan Djanogly: None. The extradition process is used to seek the return of individuals accused or convicted of a criminal offence, not abducted or wrongfully retained children.
	The 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction provides a civil procedure to seek the return of a child wrongfully removed or wrongfully retained away from the child's habitual residence in another contracting state.

Fines: Driving Offences

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what revenue has accrued to the Exchequer from motoring fines collected in (a) Pendle constituency and (b) Lancashire in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) do not break down fines collected by offence. Financial penalties are enforced by HMCTS through local accounting centres who collect fines imposed by courts in their areas, as well as costs, prosecution costs, legal aid, victim surcharge, compensation and unpaid fixed penalty notices and penalty notices for disorder which have been passed to HMCTS for enforcement. Fines collected include those imposed in previous years which are being collected by instalments.
	HMCTS are unable to break down fines paid which were imposed for a particular offence type. The following table sets out the total financial penalties collected by Lancashire accounting centre, which includes Pendle, in each of the last five financial years. To obtain the totals for Pendle would require an individual check of each account held at Lancashire accounting centre, which would incur disproportionate costs.
	
		
			 Financial penalties collected by Lancashire accounting office 2006-07 to 2010-11 
			 Financial year Collected (£) 
			 2006-07 7,656,728.51 
			 2007-08 8,198,205.89 
			 2008-09 7,884,203.89 
			 2009-10 7,926,417.78 
			 2010-11 7,888,638.86

Prosecutions

Emily Thornberry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects to publish a public consultation on the introduction of deferred prosecution arrangements.

Kenneth Clarke: My Department and I are working with the Solicitor-General on the introduction of deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs), a new approach to dealing with corporate economic crime. I expect to publish a consultation document shortly.

Translation Services

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what steps he has taken to ensure that translation services provided by Applied Language Solutions to courts are being delivered to a satisfactory standard;
	(2)  pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2012, Official Report, columns 953-4W, on translation service, what measures are contained in the action plan agreed between his Department and Applied Language Solutions (ALS); if he will assess the effectiveness of such measures in dealing with the problems set out in his Answer; and whether he has received complaints concerning (a) the quality of translation services and (b) the service provided by ALS since his answer;
	(3)  pursuant to the answer of 28 February 2012, Official Report, columns 189-91W, on translation services, how many of the key performance indicators listed in his Department's equality impact assessment are being met by Applied Language Solutions.

Crispin Blunt: There have been an unacceptable number of difficulties in the first few weeks of this contract. In view of this, I have required immediate action to address the issues encountered. My officials receive regular management information, and attend regular meetings with Applied Language Solutions (ALS) to ensure an appropriate level of service to the justice sector. I and my ministerial colleagues are receiving regular reports and continue to monitor the situation.
	ALS has taken the following steps to address the issues experienced in the initial period of operation of the framework:
	An increase to the level of pay and travel allowances to interpreters. The introduction of block booking arrangements focused on problematic languages plans to directly recruit interpreters where there is clear ongoing demand.
	Arranging additional interpreter assessment centres.
	Recruitment of additional call handlers, booking administrators and linguist relationship managers.
	Introduction of a new administrative team, purely with the function of issuing customer updates.
	Secondment of a process management specialist, a management information specialist and an outbound calling team with the brief of further developing the supply of interpreters.
	Improvements to the automated booking system.
	We are starting to see improvements in performance but the contractor is still falling short of meeting a proportion of the key performance indicators.

Translation Services

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  whether (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department received reports on the standard of work and suitability of Applied Language Solutions before the awarding of the contract for translation services;
	(2)  what penalties or sanctions the (a) Framework Agreement and (b) contract with Applied Language Solutions (ALS) contains for non-compliance with (i) the key performance indicators, (ii) the Framework Agreement and (iii) the contract; for what reasons these penalties or sanctions can be imposed; and whether any such penalties or sanctions have been imposed on ALS.

Crispin Blunt: Ministers do not routinely receive reports on the suitability and standard of work of any bidders engaged in an active procurement exercise. This remained the case with ALS.
	There are a number of remedies available to the Ministry of Justice under the contract including:
	The application of service credits based upon delivery of services against agreed Key performance Indicators.
	Provision to charge any cost differential where we are required to source from an alternative party as a result of default.
	These remedies will be used where there is a breach of contract and it is believed that it will bring benefit to the MOJ while not causing a substantial detrimental impact upon the future performance and delivery of the contract.

PRIME MINISTER

UK Border Agency

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit the UK Border Agency.

David Cameron: I have visited UKBA twice and met staff. The Minister for Immigration, my hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Damian Green), makes regular visits to UKBA offices.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Departmental Contracts

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which companies have been awarded contracts by his Department to provide welfare services; what the value is of such contracts; and what steps his Department takes to assess the effectiveness of such providers.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Regulation

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent progress his Department has made on the Red Tape Challenge; and which regulations have been (a) abolished and (b) revised as part of the Challenge.

Chris Grayling: Comments received through the Red Tape Challenge website were considered through the Löfstedt review of health and safety regulation published on 28 November 2011
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/lofstedt-report.pdf
	The Government have accepted the review's recommendations. These and wider reforms proposed by the Health and Safety Executive based on analysis for the review and the Red Tape Challenge will see a reduction of over half in number of health and safety regulations. Consultation is under way on a first deregulatory package.
	The Department is preparing for the Red Tape Challenge spotlight on pensions from 19 April and will make proposals once the process has been completed.

Departmental Senior Civil Servants

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many senior civil servants left his Department and its public bodies in each month since May 2010; what their names are; what the rate of turnover of senior civil servants in his Department was during this period; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The answer is in the following table:
	
		
			 Senior civil service leavers in DWP and its crown public bodies 1 June 2010 to 31 January 2012 
			 Department/body and turnover in period  (%) Leaving month Number of leavers 
			 Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)—35% June 2010 0 
			  July 2010 2 
			  August 2010 2 
			  September 2010 4 
			  October 2010 1 
			  November 2010 5 
			  December 2010 6 
			  January 2011 10 
			  February 2011 1 
			  March 2011 5 
			  April 2011 2 
			  May 2011 2 
			  June 2011 16 
			  July 2011 1 
			  August 2011 2 
			  September 2011 3 
			  October 2011 23 
			  November 2011 3 
			  December 2011 5 
			  January 2012 2 
			  Total 95 
			    
			 Health and Safety Executive (HSE)—17% June 2010 0 
			  July 2010 0 
			  August 2010 0 
			  September 2010 1 
			  October 2010 0 
			  November 2010 0 
			  December 2010 1 
			  January 2011 1 
			  February 2011 2 
			  March 2011 2 
			  April 2011 0 
			  May 2011 0 
			  June 2011 0 
			  July 2011 0 
			  August 2011 0 
			  September 2011 0 
			  October 2011 0 
			  November 2011 0 
			  December 2011 0 
			  January 2012 1 
		
	
	
		
			  Total 8 
			 Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (CMEC) —33%   
			  June 2010 0 
			  July 2010 0 
			  August 2010 0 
			  September 2010 0 
			  October 2010 0 
			  November 2010 1 
			  December 2010 0 
			  January 2011 1 
			  February 2011 0 
			  March 2011 1 
			  April 2011 0 
			  May 2011 1 
			  June 2011 0 
			  July 2011 3 
			  August 2011 2 
			  September 2011 0 
			  October 2011 1 
			  November 2011 0 
			  December 2011 2 
			  January 2012 0 
			  Total 12 
		
	
	Those working for the Department's other public bodies are public servants rather than civil servants because they do not work directly for the Crown.

Employment: HIV Infection

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he has taken to implement the recommendations of the Harrington review of the work capability assessment in respect of (a) Atos guidance and handbooks use the most up-to-date information on HIV and (b) HIV awareness training.

Chris Grayling: DWP is implementing a systematic process for updating the WCA handbook, guidance and training for Atos health care professionals in conjunction with medical advisers of appropriate external organisations. Guidance and training on HIV will be reviewed this year as part of this process.
	Professor Harrington will monitor and report on this recommendation as part of his Year 3 review.

Hearing Impairment: Compensation

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have been awarded compensation for work-related hearing loss in each of the last five years.

Chris Grayling: Claims for compensation are registered by compensators (insurance companies) with the DWP Compensation Recovery Unit. Any claims to compensation in respect of sensorineural hearing loss where the loss is less than 50 decibels are exempt from the CRU scheme. Therefore these cases are not registered with the CRU.
	In line with this, the CRU is able to provide the volume of employer liability claims which have been notified to the CRU by the compensator and subsequently notified as settled during the period between 1 April 2008 and 23 February 2012. These settlements relate to claims for work-related hearing loss; the data below have been broken down by financial years.
	
		
			 Employer liability 
			 Financial year Final settlement Interim settlement Total 
			 2008-09 1,155 0 1,155 
			 2009-10 1,794 1 1,795 
			 2010-11 2,115 2 2,117 
			 2011-12 2,570 2 2,572 
			 Total 7,634 5 7,639 
		
	
	The criteria used to identify the work-related hearing loss settlements are claims which been notified to CRU for either the noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) or an injury description of hearing, deaf(ness) or tinnitus.
	Please note more than one settlement can be received on a claim; for example a number of interim settlements may be received before full and final settlement is received.

Jobcentre Plus

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what comparative assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of private welfare providers and that of Jobcentre Plus.

Chris Grayling: The Department has made no comparative assessment of the effectiveness of private welfare providers and that of Jobcentre Plus.
	There is clear evidence on the cost-effectiveness of Jobcentre Plus. A report by NIESR concluded that the introduction of Jobcentre Plus increased the rate at which claimants left benefit and moved into work and. increased employment, with the impact of Jobcentre Plus estimated to increase GDP by 0.1% by 2015.
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2011-2012/rrep781.pdf
	The Department has commissioned an evaluation of the Work programme and the first results will be available later this year. We expect the Work programme to deliver higher performance and deliver better value for money than previous provision.
	The Department has published a range of evaluation reports regarding the effectiveness of support delivered by Jobcentre Plus and external providers, including the new deals, pathways to work and the Jobcentre Plus interventions regime which can be found via:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rrs-index.asp

Jobseeker's Allowance: Young People

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people aged 18 to 24 in receipt of jobseeker's allowance whose claims started in (a) October 2010, (b) November 2010 and (c) December 2010 and continued to the 13 week point were still in receipt of benefit at the 26 week point.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is as follows.
	(a) Of people aged 18 to 24 whose jobseeker's allowance (JSA) claim started in October 2010, 51,000 continued to the 13 week point. Of those 51,000, 32,000 (64%) were still in receipt of an out of work benefit at the 26 week point.
	(b) Of people aged 18 to 24 whose JSA claim started in November 2010, 53,000 continued to the 13 week point. Of those 53,000, 33,000 (63%) were still in receipt of an out of work benefit at the 26 week point.
	(c) Of people aged 18 to 24 whose JSA claim started in December 2010, 40,000 continued to the 13 week point. Of those 40,000, 26,000 (65%) of these were still in receipt of an out of work benefit at the 26 week point.
	Notes:
	1. Figures rounded to the nearest 1,000.
	2. Between weeks 13 and 26, some people will have left jobseeker's allowance and returned to benefit.
	3. Comparisons with the benefit outcomes of participants in employment programmes cannot be made because individuals participating on the programmes will have a specific set of characteristics and claim durations.
	Source:
	National Benefits Database

Jobseeker's Allowance: Young People

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will provide a breakdown of the number of people aged 18 to 24 in receipt of jobseeker's allowance whose claims reached the 13 week point between January 2011 and March 2011 who remained on benefit in each week following the 13 week point in their individual claim.

Chris Grayling: During the period of January to March 2011, there were 140,000 people aged 18 to 24 in receipt of jobseeker's allowance (JSA) passing through the 13 week point. Table 1 shows the proportion of those 140,000 who remain on a working age benefit (JSA, ESA, IS or IB) in each week following the 13 week point.
	
		
			 Table 1: Proportion claiming working age benefits x weeks after reaching the 13 week point in their JSA claim in January to December 2011 
			  Proportion of 18 to 24-year-old JSA claimants claiming benefit (percentage) 
			 On benefits after 13 weeks 100 
			 On benefits after 14 weeks 94 
			 On benefits after 15 weeks 89 
			 On benefits after 16 weeks 85 
			 On benefits after 17 weeks 81 
			 On benefits after 18 weeks 78 
			 On benefits after 19 weeks 75 
			 On benefits after 20 weeks 73 
			 On benefits after 21 weeks 71 
			 On benefits after 22 weeks 69 
			 On benefits after 23 weeks 68 
			 On benefits after 24 weeks 66 
			 On benefits after 25 weeks 65 
			 On benefits after 26 weeks 64 
			   
			 Number of 13 week claims 140,000 
			 Notes: 1. Figures rounded to the nearest 1,000. 2. Between weeks 13 and 26, some people will have left jobseeker's allowance and returned to benefit. 3. Comparisons with the benefit outcomes of participants in employment programmes cannot be made because individuals participating on the programmes will have a specific set of characteristics and claim durations. Source: National Benefits Database

Mortgages

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) the London borough of Bexley were in receipt of support for mortgage interest at the most recent date for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: The available information is presented in the following table, covering recipients of income support, jobseeker's allowance and pension credit. The information is not available for recipients of employment and support allowance.
	
		
			 Benefit recipients receiving help with mortgage interest in Bexleyheath and Crayford parliamentary constituency and the London borough of Bexley: May 2011 
			 Area Recipients 
			 London Borough of Bexley 800 
			 Bexleyheath and Crayford Parliamentary Constituency (1)300 
			 (1 )These are based on very few sample cases and are subject to a high degree of sampling variation. Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred. 2. Figures are based on 5% sample data. All figures are subject to a degree of sampling variation. 3. Figures have been uprated by using 5% proportions against 100% Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) data. 4. These data relate to recipients of income support, pension credit and jobseeker's allowance receiving help with mortgage interest. 5. Information on recipients of employment and support allowance receiving help with mortgage interest is not available. Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Governance and Security Directorate

New Deal Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of Flexible New Deal participants were diverted off the programme before completing the full 12 months; and for what reasons they were diverted.

Chris Grayling: Everyone on the Flexible New Deal on 1 September 2011 was referred back to Jobcentre Plus, as this was the final day of the FND provision. The number of FND participants who left the programme on this date and the proportion who had not completed 12 months are not data that are readily available.

Pensioners

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) the London borough of Bexley received (i) pension credit and (ii) winter fuel allowance in each of the last three years.

Steve Webb: The information requested is in the following tables:
	
		
			 Number of people in receipt of pension credit in the Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and the London borough of Bexley 
			 Pension credit 
			  Bexleyheath and Crayford London borough of Bexley 
			 2009 2,740 7,380 
			 2010 2,840 7,390 
		
	
	
		
			 2011 2,780 7,210 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Pension credit household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves or on behalf of themselves and a partner. 3. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory. 4. These tables recognise the May 2010 structural changes to the parliamentary constituencies of England and Wales. 5. These data are available on the Department's tabulation tool at http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html and https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/Default.asp Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study. 
		
	
	
		
			 Number of people in receipt of winter fuel payment in the Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and the London borough of Bexley 
			  Individuals 
			  Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency London borough of Bexley 
			 Winter 2008-09 18,250 46,720 
			 Winter 2009-10 17,850 47,250 
			 Winter 2010-11 17,900 47,190 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Parliamentary constituencies are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory. 3. These tables recognise the May 2010 structural changes to the parliamentary constituencies of England and Wales. 4. The latest figures for winter fuel payments are published at http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wfp Source: DWP Information Directorate:

Social Security Benefits: Greater London

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of households which received benefits above the level of the benefit cap in the London Borough of Lambeth rounded to the nearest five; and how many such households he estimates have benefit entitlements of (a) less than £50 above the benefit cap, (b) less than £100 above the benefit cap and (c) more than £100 above the benefit cap rounded to the nearest five.

Chris Grayling: It is estimated that in Lambeth around 800 households will be affected by the household benefit cap, around 400 households will lose less than £50 per week, 200 households will lose between £50 to a £100 per week, and around 300 households will lose more than a £100 per week.
	The figures presented above are consistent with the recent Impact Assessment published on 23 January 2012. It is important to note that these estimates were produced before the additional easements announced on 1 February which included the exemption of households who were in receipt of the support component of employment and support allowance and a nine-month grace period for claimants who were in work for 52 weeks or more before the start of their claim.
	This means that these figures are subject to change, ahead of the Welfare Reform Bill gaining Royal Assent. We will consider the scope for further analysis of the households when we prepare the revised Impact Assessment following Royal Assent.
	It is assumed that the situation of these households will go unchanged, and they will not take any steps to either work enough hours to qualify for working tax credit, renegotiate their rent in situ, or find alternative accommodation. In all cases the Department is working to support households through this transition, using existing provision through Jobcentre Plus and the Work Programme to move as many into work as possible.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he intends that universal credit will interact electronically with the Department's Provider Referrals and Payments system upon its implementation in October 2013.

Chris Grayling: The current intention is that the information required to enable the Provider Referral and Payment (PraP) system to operate efficiently will be made available from the universal credit; manual mechanisms will be in place from October 2013, with full electronic interaction being introduced at a later date.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether in the case of out-of-work claimants who subsequently move into work universal credit will operate using real-time PAYE information from October 2013.

Chris Grayling: New universal credit claims opened after October 2013 will be adjusted by earnings reported under real time information by the claimant's employer. This will also apply to an unemployed claimant who subsequently moves into work.

Work Capability Assessment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department has taken to draw the attention of claimants, their representatives and claimants' advice agencies to the audio recording facility in work capacity assessments.

Chris Grayling: As stated on 1 February 2012, Official Report, columns 291-92WH, we have asked Atos Healthcare to try and accommodate requests for audio recording where a claimant makes a request in advance of their assessment. This approach began in late 2011 and we will monitor take up during 2012.

Work Experience

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to publish data from his Department's work experience schemes for the unemployed by region.

Chris Grayling: Official statistics on the work experience strand of the Get Britain Working measures, were published on 15 February 2012 by region and can be viewed at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/pwp/pwp_gbw_feb12.pdf

HEALTH

Alcoholic Drinks and Drugs: Rehabilitation

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS beds are available for those receiving treatment for drug and alcohol problems.

Simon Burns: I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer I gave her on 28 February 2012, Official Report, column 251W.

Alcoholic Drinks: Labelling

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the alcohol industry on including the calorie content of each product on its label.

Simon Burns: The Department discussed the possible inclusion of calorie content on labels with representatives of the alcohol industry on a number of occasions.
	The EU Food Information Regulation permitted a voluntary energy declaration including calorie content, without the inclusion of full nutrition information for the first time from December 2011. We expect to raise the fact that such declarations, are now easier to make with industry in future discussions.

Alcoholic Drinks: Southampton

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of alcohol abuse in the city of Southampton in the latest period for which figures are available.

Simon Burns: The information is not held in the format requested. The cost to the national health service in England of alcohol misuse in 2006-07 (the latest year for which an estimate is available) is estimated to be £2.7 billion. This figure relates to all costs incurred by the NHS, including hospital admissions, outpatient visits, accident and emergency attendances, general practitioners consultations and other costs. The number of admissions involving an alcohol-related diagnosis for residents of Southampton in 2006-07 was estimated to be 2,210, compared with an England total of 802,066.

Autism: Prisoners

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of people in the prison population with autism;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of people entering the judicial system with autism.

Paul Burstow: This information is not collected centrally.

Cancer: Health Services

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to increase awareness of the availability of DPD testing;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to test cancer patients for the potential risks to their health involved in fluorouracil treatment; and what the costs are of such tests.

Paul Burstow: Fluorouracil may be unsuitable for certain groups of patients, including those with dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency (DPD). The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has undertaken a review of the product information for medicines containing fluorouracil and confirm that the summary of product characteristics for all but one of these already includes cautionary advice for health care professionals on treating patients with DPD. The MHRA has written to all marketing authorisation holders to ensure a consistent message is conveyed in all product information.
	When deciding which treatment is the most appropriate for a patient under their care, clinicians should take into account the individual circumstances of each patient, carrying out any associated diagnostic tests that they deem necessary to establish a patient's suitability for a particular drug.
	DPD testing is available from laboratories in the United Kingdom at locally negotiated prices.

Dementia

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the quality of annual reviews for patients with dementia;
	(2)  what measures he is taking to ensure that people diagnosed with dementia who are receiving anti-psychotic medication receive regular reviews of their progress.

Paul Burstow: We want to see a two-thirds reduction in the level of prescribing of antipsychotic drugs for people with dementia and we have commissioned an audit to measure this.
	The Dementia Action Alliance supported by the NHS Institute and the Department launched a ‘National Call to Action’ on 9 June 2011, with the aim of ensuring that by 31 March 2012 all 180,000 people with dementia, who are receiving antipsychotic drugs will have undergone a clinical review, to ensure that their care is compliant with current best practice and guidelines and that alternatives to their prescription have been considered.
	Reducing the use of antipsychotic medication is a key element of the Dementia Commissioning pack which is supported by a multi-disciplinary care pathway for the management of agitation in people with dementia and for the review of medication on people already receiving antipsychotics.
	People with dementia should have their care needs assessed regularly to ensure that they are receiving care that is appropriate as their condition progresses.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reduction in carbon dioxide emissions his Department has made under the 10:10 initiative.

Simon Burns: The Department has not signed up to the 10:10 initiative, though it is committed to reducing its carbon dioxide emissions. It took part in the Prime Minister's commitment that Government would reduce their energy consumption by 10% over the period 14 May 2010 to 13 May 2011.
	The Department's energy carbon dioxide emissions over the period were reduced from 12,432 tCO2 to 10,471 tCO2, a reduction of 15.9%.
	The Department, in this instance, includes NHS Connecting for Health and its executive agency, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
	The Department continues to work towards reducing its carbon dioxide emissions as part of the Greening Government commitments, which commits Departments to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 25% by 2014-15 from a baseline of 2009-10.

Diabetes: Drugs

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department funds any UK diabetes drug development; what the value is of any such funding; and what (a) companies and (b) other organisations receive it.

Paul Burstow: The Department does not direct funding specifically to diabetes drug development. The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) provides the support and facilities the national health service needs for first class research that results in high-quality care for patients and the public. All NIHR infrastructure supports collaborations with industry.
	NIHR biomedical research centres are based within the most outstanding NHS and university partnerships in England and receive substantial levels of funding to translate fundamental biomedical research into clinical research that benefits patients. From April 2012, diabetes research will be a particular focus of research themes at the following centres:
	
		
			 NHS organisation University partner Research theme 
			 Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust University of Cambridge Metabolism, Endocrinology and Bone 
			 Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Imperial College London Obesity, Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Newcastle University The Ageing Body (chronic liver disease, cardiovascular disease and diabetes) 
			 Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust University of Oxford Diabetes 
		
	
	The NIHR Diabetes Research Network hosts clinical trials and other well-designed studies in diabetes. Industry-sponsored contract research is conducted within the network on a cost recovery basis.
	On 1 March 2012, the Government announced over £100 million NIHR funding for clinical research facilities for experimental medicine over the period September 2012 to March 2017. This will be spent on research nurses and technicians at 19 of the facilities around the country, and cover disease areas such as cancer, diabetes, stroke, dementia and obesity.

Diabetes: Prescription Drugs

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what information his Department holds on which diabetes prescription drugs have been subject to shortage in (a) pharmacies and (b) hospitals since January (i) 2011 and (ii) 2012;
	(2)  what proportion of diabetes prescription drugs manufactured in the UK were sold abroad since (a) January 2011 and (b) January 2012.

Paul Burstow: The Department is aware that there have been manufacturing problems with several formulations of medicines used to treat diabetes which may have led to supply problems in hospitals and pharmacies. In 2011, these medicines were Apidra insulin, Lantus insulin and tolbutamide 500mg tablets. In 2012, only Aprida insulin was affected.
	Information on the proportion of drugs sold abroad is not held centrally.

Disease Control: Livestock

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice the Health Protection Agency has issued to farmers on minimising risks to human health from Schmallenberg virus.

Simon Burns: The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has produced a factsheet for farmers, farm workers, veterinary staff or those handling or transporting fallen stock who have been exposed to either a confirmed or suspected animal case of Schmallenberg virus (SBV). The factsheet is given to them by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency when suspected or confirmed SBV cases are reported on their farm. The factsheet explains that though this new virus causes disease in animals it has not been known to cause disease in humans and it is considered unlikely that this virus is zoonotic. Nevertheless, as this is a new virus, anyone who might have been exposed, to animals infected with SBV and who develops a fever (≥38°C) within two weeks after contact with malformed animals or their birth products is advised to contact their local Health Protection Unit (HPU) as a precautionary, measure. The HPU would then liaise with their general practitioner to take a blood sample.
	The factsheet also gives advice on reducing the risk of this and other infections by regular hand washing and handling afterbirths and aborted animals with caution, and reminds them that pregnant women should continue to follow published routine advice to avoid close contact with animals (including sheep, cows and goats) that are giving birth.
	The HPA and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have published more detailed information about SBV on their respective websites:
	www.hpa.org.uk/Topics/InfectiousDiseases/InfectionsAZ/EmergingInfections/SchmallenbergVirus/
	www.defra.gov.uk/ahvla/2012/03/02/2-march-schmallenberg-virus-further-updates-on-gb-testing-results/

Emergency Calls: Kent

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) genuine and (b) malicious emergency calls were received by the Ambulance Service in Kent in each of the last three years.

Simon Burns: The information is not held in the format requested. Such information as is available is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Number of emergency calls: South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, 2008-09 to 2010-11 
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust 580,083 619,222 653,912 
			 Notes: 1. Emergency call data are not held by county. The figures in the table refer to the number of emergency calls received by the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, which provides services in Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex and Surrey. 2. Data on malicious emergency calls are not held centrally. Source: Information Centre for Health and Social Care: KA34 returns

Health Professions: Regulation

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what mechanisms exist to review the effectiveness of assured voluntary regulation in protecting patient safety;
	(2)  at what stage during the assured voluntary regulation process healthcare professionals will be considered for statutory regulation;
	(3)  how he plans to measure the effectiveness of assured voluntary regulation in protecting patient safety in healthcare professions not subject to statutory regulation.

Simon Burns: The Health and Social Care Bill (subject to parliamentary procedures) will confer on the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE), which will be renamed the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, the function of accrediting voluntary registers of health and (in England) social care workers, which meet its standards.
	In its Council paper "Voluntary registers—proposed model for accreditation scheme" the CHRE has stated that all voluntary registers seeking accreditation will be required to complete a risk assessment tool which will assess the risks inherent in a profession's practice, and the means by which those risks are and could be managed.
	We also expect the Professional Standards Authority to use the risk assessment tool as part of its ongoing monitoring of accredited registers, which will include consideration of the effectiveness of a register in assuring standards.
	We have made it clear that if, in light of the experience of assured voluntary registration, there is evidence that the arrangements are inadequate to ensure public protection, for a group of healthcare workers, then we would consider the case for introducing, compulsory statutory regulation for that group.

Hospitals: Food

Amber Rudd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 22 February 2012, Official Report, column 805W, on hospital food, what the average cost was of providing food per patient per day in each of the Strategic Health Authority areas in England since 2004.

Simon Burns: The Department collects data from national health service trusts for the average total daily cost for the provision of all meals and beverages fed to one patient per day. This cost relates to all meals and beverages provided to a patient in a day, not the cost of a single meal. The cost is inclusive of all pay and non-pay costs, including provisions, ward issues, disposables, equipment and its maintenance.
	The data collected are shown in the tables. Table 1 provides data for the years 2004-05 and 2005-06 for each of the 28 strategic health authorities that were in existence during that time. Table 2 provides data from 2006-07 onwards for each of the 10 strategic health authorities that were established in 2006-07 following a re-organisation.
	The information has been supplied by the NHS and has not been amended centrally. The accuracy and completeness of the information is the responsibility of the provider organisation.
	
		
			 Table 1: Average cost of feeding one patient per day for 2004-05 and 2005-06 at 28 strategic health authorities 
			 £ 
			 Strategic health authority 2004-05 2005-06 
			 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire 6.73 6.86 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 4.26 4.64 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country 4.95 5.10 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 5.20 5.33 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 6.70 6.37 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 7.64 9.19 
			 Dorset and Somerset 5.30 6.20 
			 Essex 4.63 4.85 
			 Greater Manchester 4.70 7.22 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 6.63 5.99 
			 Kent and Medway 4.73 7.15 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, and Rutland 7.47 9.88 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 3.02 8.49 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire 3.39 7.04 
			 North Central London 4.56 6.16 
			 North East London 4.18 4.47 
			 North West London 6.00 8.09 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear 3.51 5.58 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 7.92 8.33 
			 South East London 5.20 5.36 
			 South West London 6.18 6.77 
			 South West Peninsula 5.86 6.59 
			 South Yorkshire 3.37 5.50 
			 Surrey and Sussex 5.94 5.66 
			 Thames Valley 5.22 4.78 
			 Trent 4.68 6.07 
			 West Midlands South 5.20 7.61 
			 West Yorkshire 6.50 6.86 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Average cost of feeding one patient per day. for 2006-07 and 2010-11 at 10 strategic health authorities 
			 £ 
			 Strategic health authority 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 East Midlands 7.20 6.85 8.62 8.61 9.55 
			 East of England 6.13 6.34 8.04 7.50 8.03 
			 London 5.87 6.03 7.76 7.56 7.55 
			 North East 7.52 6.22 7.62 6.68 8.98 
			 North West. 7.05 7.52 8.09 8.80 8.90 
			 South Central 6.34 7.32 7.66 7.99 8.76 
			 South East Coast 6.02 6.44 8.32 8.55 8.66 
			 South West 6.83 7.17 8.44 8.50 9.26 
			 West Midlands 6.93 7.44 8.04 8.33 8.64 
		
	
	
		
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 5.71 5.73 6.90 7.67 8.81

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment has been made of the efficacy of hand sanitiser gel in reducing hospital-acquired infections.

Simon Burns: In 2004, the Purchasing and Supply Agency undertook a review that established the efficacy of alcohol based hand rubs. Manufacturers can submit new hand cleaning products to the Rapid Review Panel (RRP). The RRP is managed by the Health Protection Agency and provides advice on the relative merits and substance of claims made by companies about the acceptability of products to combat health care associated infections.
	The Department is not aware of any other recent general assessment into the efficacy of hand sanitiser gel in reducing health care associated infections.

NHS: Private Sector

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the likely effect of profit-making by private sector providers of NHS services on the extent to which planned savings under his proposed NHS reforms can be achieved.

Simon Burns: The costs and benefits envisaged by the Health and Social Care Bill (the Bill) are not predicated on the use of the private sector. Further information on the costs and benefits of the reforms are set out in the Bill's impact assessment, a copy of which has already been placed, in the Library and is available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsLegislation/DH_123583
	Profit taking by private providers would not affect planned savings, as providers would be expected to accept national health service prices or tariff. Moreover, the Bill would address the practice of ‘cherry picking', as allowed by the previous Administration, through accurate and cost reflective pricing.

Nurses: Pay

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses in the NHS earn less than £35,000 per year; and how many earn more.

Paul Burstow: Validated individual level earnings data for qualified nurses are not held centrally. Using estimates based on a sample of data taken from the Electronic Staff Record and applying these to the Qualified Nursing numbers, excluding practice nurses, in the September 2011 Information Centre monthly workforce numbers publications we estimate that:
	Approximately 286,000 Headcount with basic pay less than £35,000 per year, and 63,000 Headcount with basic pay above £35,000 per year.
	These figures are rounded to the nearest thousand. It is also only possible to relate these figures to basic pay and it is not possible to account for additional earnings such as overtime allowances.

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on ensuring that the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman uses external experts to assess how management systems, as well as clinical expertise, can be improved in the NHS.

Simon Burns: We are not aware of any such requests. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman is independent of Government and directly accountable to Parliament. The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), therefore has no role in respect of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's remit for use of “external experts”.

Physiotherapy: Rehabilitation

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the provision of multidisciplinary rehabilitation programmes including physiotherapy for people with (a) multiple sclerosis and (b) other complex conditions; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: Responsibility for ensuring that locally commissioned rehabilitation services meet the needs of patients lies with primary care trusts.
	We have made no assessment of the provision of multidisciplinary rehabilitation programmes for people with multiple sclerosis and other complex conditions.
	Certain elements of rehabilitation services for people with complex needs are currently designated as “specialised” and provided nationally. These include some rehabilitation for adults with brain injury and complex disability. Other rehabilitation services are commissioned and provided locally. These include secondary care services, community rehabilitation (and sometimes specific neuro-rehabilitation), community equipment services, personal care services and respite provision.

Plastic Surgery

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of risks associated with dermal fillers.

Simon Burns: Dermal fillers used for medical purposes are regulated as medical devices in the highest risk category under the European Union's medical devices directives, this means that the manufacturer must be able to provide evidence of the safety, quality and performance of their product before they can place it off the market. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency monitor reports of adverse incidents for these, as for other, medical devices and take action as needed on individual products. As announced in the statement made by the Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), on 11 January 2012, Official Report, columns 181-83, on breast implants, the review of cosmetic interventions will consider whether any changes are needed to the regulation of dermal fillers or to the necessary qualifications of practitioners who administer them.

Primary Care Trusts: Lancashire

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when Janet Soo Chung was appointed as Chief Executive of the Lancashire Primary Care Trust cluster.

Simon Burns: In line with the requirements set out in the “Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2011-12”, all primary care trust (PCT) cluster chief executive appointments in the North West, including that of Janet Soo Chung, as chief executive of the Lancashire PCT cluster, became effective as of 1 June 2011.

Savernake Hospital

Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he has given to extending the stability fund for some hospitals with public finance initiative schemes to Savernake hospital; whether a decision has been made on the future structure of Savernake hospital; and what timetable has been put in place for implementing the strategy for the future of the hospital.

Simon Burns: A review has been undertaken to analyse the extent to which private finance initiative (PFI) schemes are a determinant factor as to why national health service providers—NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts—may not be clinically or financially viable and where additional support may be needed to address this. It is not intended to extend this work to NHS commissioning bodies such as NHS Wiltshire Primary Care Trust (PCT), which holds the PFI contract for the Savernake hospital PFI scheme, which are to be abolished in April 2013.
	Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have managed the operational running of Savernake hospital and the community services provided at the hospital by Wiltshire Community Health Services since June 2011. The services which NHS Wiltshire PCT commission from Savernake hospital and Wiltshire and Community Health Services will not change for the period between now and when the PCT is expected to be abolished (i.e. subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill) in April 2013.
	The Department announced last year that NHS providers are to be given the opportunity to acquire part(s) of the PCT estate deemed ‘service critical clinical infrastructure’, and PCTs have been working with NHS providers to agree the portfolio of properties that will transfer to them. Provisional lists are with the Department for review and sign off, subject to resolving a number of outstanding issues, which include the precise future holding arrangements for PCTs' PFI schemes. It is expected that actual transfers of estate will commence later on this year following the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill.

Vaccination: Compensation

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The Vaccine Damage Payments scheme was reviewed in 2000 and resulted in a number of changes to the Vaccine Damage Payments Act 1979 including lowering the disability threshold from 80% to 60% and increasing the time limit for making a claim. There are no plans to introduce any further changes to the Act.

EDUCATION

Class Sizes

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average class size is in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in (i) Leeds North West constituency, (ii) Yorkshire and (iii) England.

Nick Gibb: The requested information is shown in the table.
	
		
			 State-funded primary and secondary schools (1, 2, 3) : Classes as taught (4)  January 2011. In England, Yorkshire and the Humber region and Leeds North West parliamentary constituency 
			  England Yorkshire and the Humber Leeds North West parliamentary constituency 
			  State-funded primary (1,2) State-funded secondary (1, 3) State-funded primary (1,2) State-funded secondary (1, 3) State-funded primary (1,2) State-funded secondary (1, 3) 
			 Average class size 2011 26.6 20.4 26.5 20.2 27.4 19.8 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes primary academies (3) Includes city technology colleges and secondary academies (including all-through academies). (4) One teacher classes as taught during a single selected period in each school on the day of the census in January. Source: School Census

Education Funding Agency: Manpower

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many new members of staff he expects the Education Funding Agency to recruit.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 27 February 2012
	We expect the Education Funding Agency to recruit very few new staff as the large majority of its workforce will be drawn from the staff of the Young People's Learning Agency or Partnerships for Schools. The Agency will recruit a new member of staff only where it has inherited a vacancy from either of the two predecessor organisations that requires specialist expertise that is not available in the Department for Education.

Grammar Schools: Admissions

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of secondary places in each local authority were in publicly-funded wholly selective schools in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Gibb: The requested information is shown in the following table (for each local authority with at least one selective school).
	
		
			 State-funded secondary schools (1) : School capacity, May 2011, by local authority area in England 
			  Total number of school places (2) Number of selective school places (2) Percentage of places in selective schools 
			 England(3) 3,608,970 161,660 4.5 
			     
			 Buckinghamshire 36,167 14,813 41.0 
			 Trafford 18,173 7,303 40.2 
			 Slough 10,807 4,010 37.1 
			 Southend-on-Sea 13,532 4,432 32.8 
			 Medway 21,529 6,654 30.9 
			 Torbay 9,857 3,010 30.5 
			 Sutton 17,131 5,206 30.4 
			 Kent 109,094 32,326 29.6 
			 Wirral 26,183 7,055 26.9 
			 Poole 9,071 2,337 25.8 
			 Lincolnshire 52,052 13,147 25.3 
			 Bexley 22,515 5,668 25.2 
			 Reading 7,549 1,677 22.2 
			 Bournemouth 11,223 2,161 19.3 
			 Kingston upon Thames 10,393 1,931 18.6 
			 Plymouth 18,499 2,770 15.0 
			 Gloucestershire 41,356 5,771 14.0 
			 Calderdale 16,253 2,159 13.3 
			 Barnet 25,810 3,166 12.3 
			 Warwickshire 35,828 3,720 10.4 
		
	
	
		
			 Birmingham 71,485 6,825 9.5 
			 Telford and Wrekin 12,086 1,134 9.4 
			 Bromley 23,083 1,793 7.8 
			 Redbridge 21,774 1,682 7.7 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 15,506 1,115 7.2 
			 Enfield 24,585 1,438 5.8 
			 Lancashire 77,999 4,502 5.8 
			 Walsall 23,267 1,361 5.8 
			 Wiltshire 34,268 1,862 5.4 
			 North Yorkshire 46,787 2,487 5.3 
			 Kirklees 29,190 1,350 4.6 
			 Wolverhampton 17,666 748 4.2 
			 Essex 96,850 3,364 3.5 
			 Liverpool 33,711 1,040 3.1 
			 Cumbria 36,258 813 2.2 
			 Devon 45,409 828 1.8 
			 (1) Includes community, foundation, voluntary and middle schools as deemed. Includes secondary academies (excludes special schools). (2) Net capacity for maintained schools; capacity for academies as set out in each academy's funding agreement or taken from Edubase. (3) National numbers of places and pupils have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source: School Capacity Survey, Academy Funding Agreements and Edubase

Languages: GCSE

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils took a foreign language at GCSE level in (a) England, (b) Berkshire, (c) Reading and (d) Reading West constituency in 2011; and what proportion achieved grades between A* and C.

Nick Gibb: The information requested has been provided in the following table for 2009/10 and 2010/11 for England, Berkshire and Reading and for 2009/10 for Reading West constituency. 2010/11 constituency figures are not yet available.
	
		
			 Number and proportion of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 (1,2 ) taking a foreign language GCSE (3,4 ) and the proportion achieving an A*-C grade, 2009/10 to 2010/11 (5) 
			   England (6) Berkshire (7) Reading (7) Reading West (8) 
			 2009/10 Number of pupils taking a language GCSE 232,477 4,574 382 342 
			  Percentage of pupils taking a language GCSE 40.4 50.7 38.9 30.7 
			  Of which:     
			  Percentage achieving an A*-C grade 69.0 73.8 85.1 75.4 
			       
			 2010/11 Number of pupils taking a language GCSE 217,659 4,131 374 — 
			  Percentage of pupils taking a language GCSE 38.5 46.7 37.9 — 
			  Of which:     
			  Percentage achieving an A*-C grade 70.5 72.3 88.5 — 
			 (1) Figures do not include pupils recently arrived from overseas. (2) Figures include all maintained schools, including CTCs and academies. (3) Figures include French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Modern Greek, Portuguese, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Japanese, Modern Hebrew, Panjabi, Polish, Russian, Turkish, Urdu, Persian, Danish and Hindi for both 2009/10 and 2010/11. 2010/11 figures additionally include Latin, Classical Greek and Biblical Hebrew. (4) Full GCSEs only have been included (full GCSEs, double awards, accredited international certificates and their predecessor iGCSEs). (5) Includes attempts and achievements by these pupils in previous academic years. (6) England figures are the sum of all local authorities. (7) Berkshire figures consist of the following local authorities: Bracknell Forest, West Berkshire, Reading, Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead, and Wokingham. Local authority figures are based on the local authority maintaining the school. (8) Parliamentary constituency figures are based on the postcode of the school. Source: National Pupil Database (2009/10 final data, 2010/11 revised data)

Local Education Authorities

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which local education authorities his Department defines as (a) wholly selective and (b) wholly comprehensive.

Nick Gibb: The local authorities that are classed as 'wholly selective', meaning they have a high concentration of selective schools are set out in the Education (Grammar School Ballots) Regulations 1998. These are:
	Bexley
	Buckinghamshire
	Kent
	Lincolnshire
	Medway Towns
	Slough
	Southend
	Torbay
	Trafford
	Sutton and the Nonsuch Ward of Surrey
	There is no recognised term as 'wholly comprehensive'. All remaining authorities would consist of those with no, or few selective schools.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the minimum statutory requirements are for schools to teach personal, social, health and economic education.

Nick Gibb: PSHE is not a statutory subject in the curriculum. There are some elements of the statutory basic curriculum and National Curriculum which some schools teach as part of PSHE, including sex education, science and physical education.

Primary Education: Lambeth

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 8 February 2012, Official Report, column 321W, on primary education: academies, what the names are of the three Lambeth primary schools with which his Department intends to explore academy options.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 5 March 2012
	: The Department has held discussions with Lambeth Council, but we have not explored Academy options directly with any of the three schools. It is not our policy publicly to name schools where we would like to explore academy options. We believe this has the potential to disrupt schools concerned.

Schools: Health Education

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will take steps to tackle childhood obesity by promoting healthy eating and physical activity in schools.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 23 February 2012
	The Government published ‘A Call to Action on obesity in England’ in October 2011.
	This sets out how obesity will be tackled in the new public health and NHS systems, and the role of key partners. The document shows the Government's commitment to programmes such as the Change4Life campaign and the National Child Measurement Programme.
	Schools are crucial to promoting healthier lifestyles and preventing obesity early on. They are best placed to determine how this might be done to meet the needs of their pupils.
	Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PHSE) education already teaches children and young people about what makes a healthy lifestyle, including the benefits of exercise and healthy eating; how to keep healthy and what influences health; and about the different food choices and the safer choices they can make.
	All maintained schools are required to meet food and nutritional standards for the food that is provided during the school day. These standards ensure pupils who take school lunches have the opportunity to select a healthy meal that contributes to a balanced diet.
	Physical education (PE) is a compulsory subject in the National Curriculum for five to 16-year-olds in maintained schools, and will continue to be so following the current review of the National Curriculum.
	We are working with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Sport England to deliver the new School Games. This new school sport competition (which builds on the old UK School Games), uses the inspiration of London's Olympics and Paralympics to help transform competitive sport in schools and get more people playing sport.

Self-Control: Curriculum

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what priority he gives to the teaching of self-control as part of the curriculum.

Nick Gibb: While the non-statutory programme of study for Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education does not refer, specifically, to self-control, it does enable pupils to be taught to build and maintain a range of positive relationships. When doing so, pupils should recognise their own, and others', rights and responsibilities and be aware that their actions and behaviours have consequences. It is for schools to decide the extent to which they teach these elements to their pupils and they will take into account the individual needs of pupils when making these decisions.
	The Department is currently reviewing PSHE education to determine how we can support schools to improve the quality of all PSHE teaching and support teachers to teach the subject well. We are considering submissions of evidence and good practice received as part of the review process. We will publish our proposals later this year.

Special Educational Needs: ICT

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department has taken to support autistic children in schools by using computers.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 5 March 2012
	Technology has huge potential to support good teaching and help raise standards. The Secretary of State for Education, the right hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), set out the benefits technology can bring to education when he spoke at the BETT Trade Fair (formerly known as the British Educational Training and technology Show) on 11 January. It is essential that schools make effective use of technology to improve teaching and learning, both within and beyond the classroom. Used appropriately, computers can be particularly beneficial in helping autistic children learn.
	Teachers, head teachers and other professionals are best placed to make decisions about how technology can be used to support children's learning, including the autistic children's learning. Advice is available from bodies such as the National Autistic Society and the Autism Education Trust to help schools to make these decisions in respect of autistic children.

Young People: Autism

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department has taken to enable autistic young people to follow further education and higher education courses.

Nick Gibb: Local authorities are responsible for ensuring Learning Difficulty Assessments take place for all young people who had a statement of special educational needs at school if they are progressing to further education. They also have the power to undertake Learning Difficulty Assessments for other young people who would benefit from one. The Learning Difficulty Assessment should set out the provision required to meet the young person's education or training needs. Colleges and other providers are required by the Equality Act to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled young people including those with autism do not experience barriers to their education. Funding for additional educational support is also provided to FE colleges to help provide the additional support students may need to enable them to participate fully in education. The funding is intended to be flexible and support students who have a range of learning difficulties and/or disabilities.
	The Government provide funding to higher education institutions, through the Higher Education Funding Council for England, to help them recruit and support disabled students; £13 million will be provided in the academic year 2011/12. The Government also provide direct support to disabled students in higher education through disabled students allowances (DSAs) which are provided in addition to the standard student support package, are not income-assessed and do not have to be repaid.
	The Green Paper “Support and Aspiration: A New Approach to Disability”, sets out our aspirations to help young people with special education needs or disabilities make the most of their future. Our proposals include the single Education, Health and Care Plan covering young people from birth to age 25 and access to better quality vocational and work-related education options. We intend to publish our future plans shortly which will take into account the responses from the Green Paper consultation and early findings from the pathfinders.

Young People's Learning Agency: Manpower

Dan Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many members of staff were employed by the Young Person's Learning Agency in April 2011; and how many staff the Young Person's Learning Agency expects to employ in April 2012.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 27 February 2012
	When the Young Person's Learning Agency (YPLA) opened in April 2010, it was allocated a budget for 580 posts. However, as a result of its work to maximise its efficiency, the YPLA has ensured that the number of staff in post has always been below this level. This meant that in April 2011, the YPLA had 511 staff in post, including 35 staff seconded from, and employed by, the Department for Education. As the YPLA's important role in supporting the academies and free schools programme has increased, it is now in the process of recruiting up to its original allocation of 580 posts. We anticipate that the YPLA will have close to 580 staff, including 27 staff on secondment from the Department, when it closes on 31 March 2012.